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The Commercial Relationship Between Brazil and Argentina Regarding Nuclear Fuel Started in 2016, with the Export of 4 Tons of Uranium.
Brazil will export enriched uranium to fuel nuclear reactors in Argentina. The countries are in negotiation and, according to Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB), the export may occur by the beginning of next year. The third export, in May, was enriched uranium at 4.15%, in the form of UO2 powder, intended for the Atucha nuclear reactors and the modular Carem-25.
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If the negotiation is concluded, this will be the fourth time that Argentine nuclear reactors will be fueled with Brazilian enriched uranium. The previous export occurred on May 7, amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
The shipment left the Nuclear Fuel Factory (FCN) in Rio de Janeiro, involving a significant logistical security apparatus for transportation and was delivered to Combustibles Nucleares Argentinos (Conuar) four days later.
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The commercial relationship between Brazil and Argentina regarding nuclear fuel began in 2016, with the export of the first shipment of 4 tons of the product to Conuar.
Currently, Argentina has three nuclear reactors generating about 5 percent of the electricity in the country. The first one started operating in 1974.
Uranium Reserves in Brazil
Brazil holds one of the largest uranium reserves in the world. It was once in fifth place, but in the International Atomic Energy Agency’s ranking of 2017, it fell to ninth, which is still quite significant. However, due to a lack of research, the country may have much more uranium than is accounted for.
Currently, national resources are estimated at 244,788 tons of uranium concentrate (U3O8). Of this total, 32.5% is located in Itataia, in the state of Ceará, and 40.6% in Caetité, in Bahia. These are two major deposits, also known as Uraniferous Provinces, where there are several potential areas to be explored.
In Bahia’s Caetité, the government wants to start work soon at the Mina do Engenho. To this end, it has just signed a contract with the company Tracomal Terraplenagem e Construções Machado for the provision of mining services.
In the Ceará mine of Santa Quitéria, in Itataia, INB has partnered with the private company Galvani. Together, they formed the Santa Quitéria Consortium to extract uranium associated with phosphate. The operation is expected to begin by 2024, with an estimated production of up to 1,600 tons of yellowcake per year, using phosphate-uranium separation technology.
The licenses are under review by the CNEN and Ibama, but the Minister of Mines and Energy, Bento de Albuquerque, recently met with the two companies forming the consortium, which represents approval for the new business model.
by- Clarin
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