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Chinese Research Team Develops Novel Adsorbent Material for Uranium Extraction from Seawater

On September 2, it was learned from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as "QIBEBT") that the research team has recently made a series of advances in the field of uranium extraction materials from seawater. The team introduced discrete molecular topological design into porous organic cage systems for the first time, synthesizing the phosphate-functionalized material PhosCage, and further compounded it with aramid nanofibers to prepare composite aerogel microspheres AC-POC possessing high selectivity, high capacity, and anti-biofouling capability. The relevant results were published in the international academic journals Journal of Hazardous Materials and Separation and Purification Technology. The deep ocean harbors a vast uranium reservoir, but how to economically and efficiently extract uranium from it remains...

2026-09-03

Russia launches remediation of legacy uranium sites at Taboshar facility in Tajikistan

Rosatom has recently launched remediation work at the legacy uranium production site of Workshop No. 3 at the Taboshar facility in Tajikistan, through its fuel division subsidiary, the Central Design and Technology Institute (JSC CPTI). The site is located in the village of Istiklol, Sughd Region, Republic of Tajikistan. The remediation is carried out under the intergovernmental agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan on cooperation in remediating areas affected by uranium mining and ore production, with the goal of improving the local environmental conditions and creating conditions for the future safe use of the area. Prior to the commencement of the work, JSC CPTI had completed remediation design and estimate documentation for two facilities in the Sughd Region,...

2026-09-02

U.S. Plans to Build Second Uranium Conversion Plant

Raven-Flint Nuclear Corporation announced on August 31 that it has been selected for the Nuclear Energy Startup Platform project advanced by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and plans to build a pilot uranium conversion facility named "Torch" at INL. The company stated that the Torch facility aims to become the second uranium conversion plant in the United States, with a designed annual processing capacity of 500 metric tons of uranium, capable of converting uranium into uranium hexafluoride (UF6). According to the company, this scale can meet the fuel demand of two large nuclear reactors. Upon project completion, it is intended to serve the U.S. Department of Energy and its affiliated agencies, and may provide domestically produced uranium hexafluoride for specific needs.

2026-09-02

U.S. Proposes Clearer Groundwater Protection Standards for In-Situ Uranium Recovery Sites

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on September 1 proposed a rule aimed at establishing clearer groundwater protection standards for communities surrounding in-situ uranium recovery sites, while streamlining the process for extending decommissioning deadlines for radioactive materials facilities and nuclear reactors, reducing redundant administrative steps without compromising safety. The rule addresses two aspects under NRC oversight. First, it proposes risk-informed regulatory standards for protecting drinking water near in-situ uranium recovery facilities, designed to guard against both radiological and non-radiological contamination. In-situ uranium recovery is a method of uranium extraction that involves injecting solution into uranium-bearing ore bodies to dissolve underground uranium resources and pump them to the surface for recovery. Second, it proposes to simplify the process for facility owners to apply for extensions of decommissioning deadlines. The NRC stated that current time requirements are relatively rigid and may lead to premature license termination; the proposed changes aim to reduce applicant costs, improve regulatory efficiency, and provide clearer expectations for communities and facility operators.

2026-09-02

Iran Still Denies IAEA Inspectors Access to Some Nuclear Facilities

A recent report shows that Iran has still not allowed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to access some of its nuclear facilities, including sites in Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow that were previously damaged in airstrikes. The report states that the IAEA had previously detected over 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium and nearly 8,600 kilograms of low-enriched uranium at these locations. Due to the current lack of sufficient information on the status and whereabouts of the relevant nuclear materials, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has expressed concerns over nuclear non-proliferation risks and called on Tehran to allow inspectors to access the facilities for verification as soon as possible. The report also mentions that inspectors...

2026-09-02

Japan Atomic Energy Agency discovers magnetic "strong-weak waves" in uranium semiconductor

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency announced on August 21 that its research team has discovered a special magnetic structure in the layered uranium semiconductor α-UTe3 (α-uranium tritelluride): the magnetism of uranium atoms not only alternates in opposite directions, but its magnetization intensity also periodically strengthens and weakens depending on the crystal position, forming a state resembling “strong-weak waves.” α-UTe3 is composed of uranium and tellurium atoms and belongs to van der Waals layered materials, where atomic layers are stacked through weak interlayer forces. Using high-quality α-UTe3 single crystals, the research team analyzed its low-temperature magnetic structure through resistivity, specific heat, and magnetization measurements, as well as nuclear magnetic resonance and single-crystal neutron diffraction techniques...

2026-08-31

India and Uzbekistan Agree to Establish Long-Term Uranium Supply Arrangement

India and Uzbekistan held leader-level talks in Tashkent on August 30, deciding to elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership and agreeing to establish an arrangement for long-term uranium supply from Uzbekistan to India, strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the field of civil nuclear energy. Following talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the two sides would establish a long-term uranium supply arrangement. The specific scale, duration, and implementation mechanism of the arrangement have not yet been announced. India has in recent years continued to diversify its nuclear fuel sources, and Uzbekistan is an important uranium resource country in Central Asia...

2026-08-31

U.S. SUPC Completes Independent Engineering Assessment of Seawater Uranium Extraction Platform

SuperCritical Materials Corp. (SUPC) of the United States announced on August 26 that an independent engineering assessment conducted by Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) has been completed. The assessment focused on the deployment architecture, offshore operation scheme, uranium recovery process, commercialization pathway, and key engineering conditions required for future large-scale deployment of SUPC's seawater uranium extraction platform. According to the assessment, SUPC's conceptual production plan proposes the use of approximately 10,000 tons of adsorbent, operating on a continuous 21-day deployment cycle, to supply adsorbent for a uranium processing facility with an annual production capacity of 1.85 million pounds of triuranium octoxide (U3O8)...

2026-08-28

South Korean Lawmaker Proposes Special Act on Nuclear-Powered Submarines

Yoo Yong-won, a lawmaker from South Korea's People Power Party (PPP), proposed a draft of the Special Act on the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Project on August 27, aiming to establish a dedicated legal basis for introducing nuclear-powered submarines to South Korea. The South Korean government is currently advancing the nuclear-powered submarine project as a national strategic initiative. At a press conference held at the National Assembly that day, Yoo stated that the existing Defense Acquisition Program Act and Nuclear Safety Act have limitations in fully reflecting the unique characteristics of military nuclear propulsion systems, making it necessary to enact a special law. The draft proposes establishing a Nuclear-Powered Submarine Strategic Committee under the president's leadership to deliberate on major related matters...

2026-08-28

U.S. SuperCritical Materials Corp. Completes Independent Engineering Assessment of Seawater Uranium Extraction Platform

SuperCritical Materials Corp. announced on August 26 that Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) has completed an independent engineering assessment of its seawater uranium extraction platform. The assessment covered the uranium extraction platform, deployment architecture, offshore operation plans, uranium recovery process, commercialization pathway, and key engineering conditions required for future large-scale deployment. The assessment reviewed SuperCritical Materials' conceptual production plan. Under this plan, the system would use approximately 10,000 metric tons of adsorbent and operate on a continuous 21-day deployment cycle, capable of supporting a uranium processing facility with an annual output of 1.85 million pounds of triuranium octoxide (U3O8)...

2026-08-27

IsoEnergy Signs Agreement with Kineepik Métis Local to Advance Uranium Exploration in Saskatchewan, Canada

On August 24, 2026, IsoEnergy Ltd. announced that it has signed an exploration agreement with Kineepik Métis Local Inc. to support its responsible uranium exploration activities in Saskatchewan, Canada. Under the agreement, the two parties will establish mechanisms for ongoing communication, information sharing, and collaboration around IsoEnergy's exploration activities in the relevant region. The agreement also provides that Kineepik community members and local businesses may participate in exploration-related work through business partnerships, employment opportunities, and training programs. Kineepik Métis Local Inc. represents Métis rights holders residing within the Kineepik use and occupancy area, including...

2026-08-26

Russia's Khiagda Uranium Enterprise Passes Routine Regulatory Inspection

Khiagda JSC, part of the mining division of Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), has completed a routine on-site inspection by the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor). The inspection covered the company's uranium mining-related facilities and its nuclear energy utilization activities. The inspection team was led by Mikhail Morev, Head of the Department for Assessment, Licensing and Inspection of Industrial Nuclear Reactors and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management Facilities at Rostekhnadzor. The team inspected the railway freight yard in Chita, as well as the central production site in the Bauntovsky District of the Republic of Buryatia...

2026-08-25

Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom Says the Era of "Cheap Uranium" Is Fading

Meirzhan Yussupov, CEO of Kazakhstan's national atomic company Kazatomprom, said during a semi-annual financial results conference call that the global uranium market is entering a new supply-demand phase and the era of cheap uranium is fading. The company also disclosed arrangements for natural uranium concentrate trading and the latest updates on the delay of the TQZ sulfuric acid plant project. Yussupov said that 38 countries worldwide have signed commitments to support tripling nuclear power capacity by 2050, with these countries collectively accounting for more than 70% of global GDP. In his view, nuclear energy development has moved beyond policy discussions and entered the stage of actual deployment...

2026-08-25

Madouela Uranium Project Rights in Niger Re-Secured

Atomic Eagle Limited has reached a new mining agreement with the Republic of Niger to re-secure the rights to the Madouela uranium project. The project is located in Niger, and its mining rights were revoked in 2024 from the previous holder, GoviEx Uranium Inc. Phil Hoskins, CEO of Atomic Eagle Limited, stated that re-acquiring the Madouela mining rights will significantly expand the company's resource base and add a more advanced-stage uranium project to its portfolio. He noted that Madouela is a large-scale, high-grade uranium project with substantial historical...

2026-08-25

Expansion Project Advances at Centrus Energy's Uranium Enrichment Facility in Piketon, Ohio

Centrus Energy said on August 24 that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel, JobsOhio CEO J.P. Nauseef, along with state, federal, and local stakeholders, visited the company's uranium enrichment facility in Piketon, Ohio, to discuss the development of the U.S. domestic nuclear fuel supply chain and Ohio's role in it. In September 2025, Centrus Energy announced a multi-billion-dollar expansion of the Piketon uranium enrichment plant. Currently, the expansion...

2026-08-25