CNNC’s Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Engineering and Metallurgy signed a collaborative agreement regarding research on uranium extraction from seawater with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology on July 15.

Chinese and Saudi experts will conduct a two-year-long investigation into uranium extraction from seawater, according to the agreement. It’s another milestone for CNNC and Saudi Arabia, following after a human resources training program and a uranium exploration project.

Proven uranium reserves on land are extremely limited at present. The mineral uranium resources for economic utilization can only last for few decades on land, but it is estimated it could potentially extract around 4 billion tons of uranium from the sea.  

Uranium extraction from seawater is a more environmentally friendly way of obtaining uranium than through mining it on land, and it will guarantee a fuel source for countries to produce nuclear power in the long term.