Brazil to produce metallic uranium

Credit: Ascom/MCTIC

Nuclear Industries of Brazil want to produce metallic uranium for Argentina

The Brazilian Nuclear Industries (INB) are conducting studies to enter the uranium metal market and supply the product to the Research and Production of Radioisotope Reactor in Argentina, which is under construction.

In addition, INB is expected to bring the second enriched uranium charge to supply the nuclear power plant located in the city of Lima, north of the capital Buenos Aires in 2017. The contract with state-owned Combustibles Nucleares Argentinos is US $ 4.5 million and INB is awaiting export approval by the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN). For the president of INB, João Carlos Tupinambá, this export is strategic for Brazil. He also underscores the importance of entering the uranium metal market.

"Our interest began with Argentina, but there are other reactors in the world that consume this type of fuel. If we succeed, we will not only have Argentina as a possible customer, but other countries as well," he said. "It's a business opportunity with built-in technology, so that's important for the country."

Tupinambá explained that the enrichment of uranium up to 20%, necessary for the production of drugs, will be done at the Technological Center of the Navy (CENTEC). Then the product will be sent to the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN) for the manufacture of metallic uranium.

The president of INB also said that this year will resume uranium exploration at the Engenho Mine, located in Caetité. Now the work of decapitation is being done, which is the stage prior to the mining of the ore, scheduled to begin until November. "In this de-plating, we must remove at least 70 tons of uranium," he predicted. "After being turned into yellow cake, the product is exported and turned into UF6 [enriched uranium] out of the country." Some of that UF6 is back for enrichment in Brazil, and some is enriched outside. Today, our enrichment capacity reaches 40% of the Angra 1 plant's consumption", he added. INB also seeks new partners for investments in uranium exploration in the still-exploited reserves of Caetité (BA) and Rio Cristalino (PA).