With more opportunities to access the country’s natural resources and minerals, the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute – Department of Science and Technology (PNRI-DOST) hosted an expert mission and national workshop of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on uranium extraction from phosphates.
Uranium, which is commonly used as fuel for nuclear power plants, may also be extracted from alternative sources such as phosphate rocks and phosphoric acid.
Under the IAEA Technical Cooperation Project PHI2010 on “Enhancing National Capacity for Extraction of Uranium, Rare Earth Elements and Other Useful Commodities from Phosphoric Acid,” the PNRI aims not only to improve its capacity in rendering services on the processing of uranium and other valuable commodities such as rare earth elements for potential economic gain but also to help lessen the impact on the agricultural soil of continuous use of phosphate fertilizer having radioactive materials.
Experts from the IAEA visited PNRI from May 19 to 23 to help assess the project’s progress and to conduct a two-day national workshop on “Situation Assessment for Uranium Extraction from Phosphate for Commercial Industries” which tackled on the various aspects of the extraction process, its place in the overall uranium production cycle, and potential opportunities for the industries involved.
PNRI’s Nuclear Materials Research Section has previously conducted preliminary studies on the potential of uranium extraction from phosphates obtained from the Philippine Phosphate Fertilizer Corporation (PHILPHOS) in Isabel, Leyte.
Representatives from PHILPHOS, the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) and the Coal and Nuclear Minerals Division of the Department of Energy – Energy Resource Development Bureau (DOE-ERDB) as well as scientists and researchers from PNRI participated in the workshop.
