Seawater Uranium: New Nuclear Fuel Source

Seawater Uranium: Fluxnium Targets a Vast New Source of Nuclear Fuel

Startups

Seawater uranium could offer a huge new source of nuclear fuel as Fluxnium works to make uranium extraction from the ocean cheaper.

Fluxnium is developing technology to extract Seawater Uranium from the ocean for nuclear fuel.
More than 4 billion metric tons of uranium are estimated to exist in seawater.
The startup raised $7 million in seed funding led by Congruent Ventures.
Specialized polymer fibers collect uranium from seawater and can be reused several times.
Fluxnium must still prove that Uranium Extraction from the ocean can compete with conventional mining costs.

Clean-tech startup Fluxnium has developed a new approach to Seawater Uranium extraction. The company is working to recover uranium from the ocean using specially made polymer fibers. The potential resource is enormous. More than 4 billion metric tons of uranium are dissolved in seawater, enough to last around 50,000 years at current demand levels, according to Fluxnium’s estimate.

The idea comes at a time when the U.S. is looking to expand nuclear power. Uranium prices have also climbed in recent years, adding pressure to an industry that depends heavily on overseas supplies.

Could the ocean become a new source of Nuclear Fuel?

Fluxnium recently came out of stealth after raising $7 million in seed funding. Congruent Ventures led the round, with Active Impact Investments and Constellation Energy also participating. The company licensed its core chemistry from U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories and has since worked on improving the fibers and how they are deployed.

The process is fairly simple to picture. Long braided fibers are placed in the ocean and suspended from buoys. They remain in the water for 30 to 60 days, allowing them to collect dissolved uranium. The fibers are then brought back to shore, where the uranium is removed and processed into yellowcake. The material can be reused several times.

But can Uranium Extraction from the ocean make financial sense?

That is where Fluxnium still has something to prove. Earlier versions of the technology extracted uranium at more than $200 per pound. Fluxnium says increasing the surface area of its fibers has helped bring the cost down by allowing them to collect more uranium.

Much of the expense still comes from making the fibers and putting them in the ocean.

Is Uranium from Ocean water really ready for the nuclear industry?

Not yet. The resource is clearly there, but access alone does not make it economical. Fluxnium needs to show that its system can work at a large scale and compete with conventional uranium mining.

That is the real question behind Ocean Uranium. Business Honor sees Fluxnium’s approach as a notable attempt to address the nuclear industry’s fuel supply challenge. If the company can lower costs enough, the ocean could become a new part of the nuclear fuel supply chain. If not, its huge resource will remain largely out of reach.

FAQs

What is Seawater Uranium?

Seawater Uranium is uranium naturally dissolved in ocean water that can potentially be recovered for use as nuclear fuel.

How does Uranium Extraction from seawater work?

Fluxnium uses polymer fibers that attract dissolved uranium. The fibers are placed in seawater and later processed to recover the uranium.

How much Uranium from Ocean water exists?

More than 4 billion metric tons of uranium are estimated to be dissolved in the world’s oceans.

Can Ocean Uranium replace uranium mining?

It could become another source of uranium, but Fluxnium still needs to prove that its process can compete with conventional mining costs.

Why is seawater uranium important for nuclear power?

A workable extraction method could provide another source of uranium fuel and reduce dependence on concentrated overseas supplies.