Uranium Post Mining Groundwater Quality Modeling and Column Testing

Oklo will partner with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), which has demonstrated gram-scale reduction of UF6 to UF4 through an intermediary compound that significantly reduces the traditional method’s hazards. PNNL has also shown the viability of co-reducing fluorides to metal. The possibility of eliminating the intermediate UF4 production step will have the potential of increased throughput and process safety that will help accelerate deployment of a commercial fabrication facility.

NuFuels, Inc.

partnered with

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Uranium Post Mining Groundwater Quality
Modeling and Column Testing, NE-25-37825

YEAR AWARDED: FY-2025

ABSTRACT:

NuFuels, Inc., located in Montrose, Colorado is a U.S. based uranium development company. Their mission is to fully license and permit the Crownpoint Uranium Project and ramp up to full licensed capacity uranium production.

The concern over groundwater usage and the associated disposal of wastewater, and water quality issues hinder the cost-effectiveness of uranium in-situ recovery (ISR) operations and restoration efforts at many legacy sites.

NuFuels will partner with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to seek technical support to validate that the results of the historic Mobil Pilot meet New Mexico groundwater standards by using current digital modeling techniques. Column studies, using the existing ISR bench columns at LANL and mineralized and reduced core material, supplied by NuFuels, will be performed. This work will help support state permits for the operation of the uranium project.

Voucher Abstract