INB carrying out new uranium-focused geological studies

The geological work is taking place in the Lagoa Real uranium province, in Bahia, where geological conditions which may indicate the presence of uranium have been identified since 1977, Indústria Nucleares do Brasil (INB) said.

Jamyle Praxedes Franco, geologist and coordinator of Geological and Mineral Resources Research at INB, said data collection aimed to "quantify and provide detailed information on deposits that may eventually evolve into mine conditions".

The aim of the studies, INB said in its report on the research, is to find out more information and support the country's plan to achieve self-sufficiency in uranium production at the Uranium Concentration Unit (Unidade de Concentração de Urânio in Portuguese)

INB said: "The plan initially considers the production of 200 tonnes of uranium concentrate. Future production scenarios of 450 tonnes and, subsequently, 800 tonnes are also being evaluated, which require further geological studies, as well as the implementation of structures such as a new tailings settling basin, a new waste rock pile, a storage yard, and expansion of the physical and chemical processing area."

Background

State-owned INB launched the Pró-Urânio programme in 2024 "with the aim of expanding and accelerating the exploration of new deposits, and which will involve BNDES (Brazilian National Bank for Economic and Social Development) in developing the model for partnerships with mining companies".

A Request for Information was launched by Brazil's National Bank for Economic and Social Development in December for consulting firms interested in participating in the programme.

According to a report by Bloomberg last week, a proposal is currently being considered by the government to allow private investment in the uranium mining sector as long as INB retains at least a 20% stake in each venture.

As Brazil takes steps to expand its uranium production and resources, the country's National Council for Mineral Policy earlier this month established a working group to examine the contribution of the mineral sector, especially uranium, to the development of the Brazilian nuclear programme.

According to World Nuclear Association, following active exploration in the 1970s and 1980s, Brazil has reasonably assured resources of 210,000 tonnes of uranium.

Uranium has been mined in Brazil since 1982, but the only operating mine is INB's existing nLagoa Real/Caetité mine, with a capacity of 340 tU per year. The mine has known resources of 10,000 tU at 0.3%U.

It has been developing the Santa Quitéria Project, which is currently in the preliminary environmental licensing process with the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) - it was accepted for environmental review in March 2022.

The project is to be implemented at Fazenda Itataia, in the municipality of Santa Quitéria. The collophanite deposit at Itataia is composed of 99.8% phosphate and 0.2% uranium. The deposit - located in the interior of the state of Ceará - is the largest discovered uranium reserve in Brazil.

INB has said the projected annual production is approximately 1.05 million tonnes of phosphate fertiliser and 220,000 tonnes of dicalcium phosphate for animal feed as well as producing "approximately 2,300 tonnes of uranium concentrate per year, destined to supply the Angra 1, Angra 2, and, in the future, Angra 3 nuclear power plants. This initiative reinforces the country's strategy of self-sufficiency in nuclear fuel production, with potential for export".

According to figures reported at the time plans for the project were announced in 2020, the Itataia deposit has an estimated 142,200 tU, inter-mixed with phosphates. The deposit has exploitable reserves of 79.5 million tonnes of ore, at grades of 11% P2O5 and 0.0998% U3O8, equating to about 8.9 million tonnes of P2O5 and 79.3 thousand tonnes of U3O8.

Brazil has a long-established nuclear energy sector. Two pressurised water reactors - Angra 1 and 2 - supply about 3% of the country's electricity. There are also plans to complete a third unit at Angra and potential new capacity is being explored, including via a microreactor being developed in the country.