Amidst all this talk of 'importing" Uranium , we are forgetting that the largest potential source of Uranium is much nearer to our shores than we generally think. In fact, it is right next to our shoreline. Yes, i am talking about the seas that grace our coasts. Though the concentration of Uranium in sea water is only about 3 mg U/m, this actually translates into a huge uranium reserve (about 4 billion tons). Even if only half of this resource could ultimately be recovered, it could support for 6,500 years 3,000 GW of nuclear capacity (75 percent capacity factor) based on next-generation reactors operated simply in a once-through fuel cycle. Once we take reprocessing into account, even a minuscule fraction of this figure can supply the world's reactors many times over.
Unfortunately, as with most good things, recovery of uranium from seawater has issues as well. For instance it is by no means cheap. The recovery cost has been estimated to be 5-10 times of that from mining uranium on land. More than 80 per cent of the total cost is occupied by the cost for marine equipment for mooring adsorbents in seawater. It is believed that this cost can be reduced to half if a 75 per cent reduction in the weight of equipment is achieved. But then, this isn't that easy, is it? Improvement of adsorbent ability is also a problem for future research since the cost directly depends on the adsorbent performance.
Needless to say, changes in costs or prices may alter economic viability status , appreciably. Research on a process being developed in Japan suggests that it might be feasible to recover uranium from seawater at a cost of $120 per lb of U3O8. Now this is about twice the current price, and seawater might just become a potential source of vast amounts of uranium, sooner than we think.
In any case DAE has prioritized research into this area. Indeed, DAE's bi-monthly digest Nuclear India says that " BARC made significant progress in its attempts to bio-recover uranium from seawater ..." . who knows maybe a pleasant surprise is in the offing.
Unfortunately, as with most good things, recovery of uranium from seawater has issues as well. For instance it is by no means cheap. The recovery cost has been estimated to be 5-10 times of that from mining uranium on land. More than 80 per cent of the total cost is occupied by the cost for marine equipment for mooring adsorbents in seawater. It is believed that this cost can be reduced to half if a 75 per cent reduction in the weight of equipment is achieved. But then, this isn't that easy, is it? Improvement of adsorbent ability is also a problem for future research since the cost directly depends on the adsorbent performance.
Needless to say, changes in costs or prices may alter economic viability status , appreciably. Research on a process being developed in Japan suggests that it might be feasible to recover uranium from seawater at a cost of $120 per lb of U3O8. Now this is about twice the current price, and seawater might just become a potential source of vast amounts of uranium, sooner than we think.
In any case DAE has prioritized research into this area. Indeed, DAE's bi-monthly digest Nuclear India says that " BARC made significant progress in its attempts to bio-recover uranium from seawater ..." . who knows maybe a pleasant surprise is in the offing.
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