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On the Sustainability and Progress of Energy Neutral Mineral Processing

Author

Listed:
  • Frederik Reitsma

    (International Atomic Energy Agency, VIC, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria)

  • Peter Woods

    (International Atomic Energy Agency, VIC, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria)

  • Martin Fairclough

    (International Atomic Energy Agency, VIC, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria)

  • Yongjin Kim

    (International Atomic Energy Agency, VIC, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria)

  • Harikrishnan Tulsidas

    (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Geneva 1200, Switzerland)

  • Luis Lopez

    (National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA), Av. del Libertador 8250, C1429BNP CABA, Argentina)

  • Yanhua Zheng

    (Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology (INET), Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Ahmed Hussein

    (Nuclear Materials Authority, El-Maadi-Kattamiya Road, P.O. Box 530, Cairo 11311, Egypt)

  • Gerd Brinkmann

    (BriVa Tech Consulting, Andreas Sapper Str. 15, 91334 Hemhofen, Germany)

  • Nils Haneklaus

    (Institute for Reactor Safety and Reactor Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Kackertstr. 9, 52072 Aachen, Germany)

  • Anand Rao Kacham

    (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, AMD Complex, Begumpet, Hyderabad 500016, India)

  • Tumuluri Sreenivas

    (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, AMD Complex, Begumpet, Hyderabad 500016, India)

  • Agus Sumaryanto

    (National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN), Jalan Lebak Bulus Raya No. 9, Jakarta 12440, Indonesia)

  • Kurnia Trinopiawan

    (National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN), Jalan Lebak Bulus Raya No. 9, Jakarta 12440, Indonesia)

  • Nahhar Al Khaledi

    (Radiation Protection Department, P.O. Box, Sharq Al-Qadeseyah 16087, Kuwait)

  • Ahmad Zahari

    (Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Bangi, Kajang 43000, Malaysia)

  • Adil El Yahyaoui

    (Centre National de l’Énergie, des Sciences et des Technique Nucléaires, B.P. 1382, Route Principale, 10001 Rabat, Morocco)

  • Jamil Ahmad

    (Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, P.O. Box 734, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan)

  • Rolando Reyes

    (Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, P.O. Box 213, 1101 Quezon City, Philippines)

  • Katarzyna Kiegiel

    (Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Dorodna 16, Warsaw 00-019, Poland)

  • Noureddine Abbes

    (Groupe Chimique Tunisien, Direction de Recherches, Gabes 6000, Tunisia)

  • Dennis Mwalongo

    (Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission, P.O. Box 743, Arusha 0206, Tanzania)

  • Eduardo D. Greaves

    (Universidad Simon Bolivar, P.O. Box 89000, 1080A Caracas, Venezuela)

Abstract

A number of primary ores such as phosphate rock, gold-, copper- and rare earth ores contain considerable amounts of accompanying uranium and other critical materials. Energy neutral mineral processing is the extraction of unconventional uranium during primary ore processing to use it, after enrichment and fuel production, to generate greenhouse gas lean energy in a nuclear reactor. Energy neutrality is reached if the energy produced from the extracted uranium is equal to or larger than the energy required for primary ore processing, uranium extraction, -conversion, -enrichment and -fuel production. This work discusses the sustainability of energy neutral mineral processing and provides an overview of the current progress of a multinational research project on that topic conducted under the umbrella of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Suggested Citation

  • Frederik Reitsma & Peter Woods & Martin Fairclough & Yongjin Kim & Harikrishnan Tulsidas & Luis Lopez & Yanhua Zheng & Ahmed Hussein & Gerd Brinkmann & Nils Haneklaus & Anand Rao Kacham & Tumuluri Sre, 2018. "On the Sustainability and Progress of Energy Neutral Mineral Processing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-18, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:1:p:235-:d:127378
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    Cited by:

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    3. Haneklaus, Nils & Qvist, Staffan & Gładysz, Paweł & Bartela, Łukasz, 2023. "Why coal-fired power plants should get nuclear-ready," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    4. Shang, Delei & Geissler, Bernhard & Mew, Michael & Satalkina, Liliya & Zenk, Lukas & Tulsidas, Harikrishnan & Barker, Lee & El-Yahyaoui, Adil & Hussein, Ahmed & Taha, Mohamed & Zheng, Yanhua & Wang, M, 2021. "Unconventional uranium in China's phosphate rock: Review and outlook," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    5. López, Luis & Castro, Liliana N. & Scasso, Roberto A. & Grancea, Luminita & Tulsidas, Harikrishnan & Haneklaus, Nils, 2019. "Uranium supply potential from phosphate rocks for Argentina's nuclear power fleet," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 397-404.
    6. Tulsidas, Harikrishnan & Gabriel, Sophie & Kiegiel, Katarzyna & Haneklaus, Nils, 2019. "Uranium resources in EU phosphate rock imports," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 151-156.

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