Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH – A three-day national workshop on feasibility studies for uranium production is underway in Riyadh. Dr. Khalid Al-Sultan, president of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE), inaugurated the event on Monday at K.A.CARE headquarters. The workshop is organized by K.A.CARE in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Khaled Al-Modaifer addressed the inaugural session of the workshop in which several national and international officials and experts are attending, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said.

The workshop focuses on the mechanisms and methods of uranium production, economic factors, social and environmental impacts and project management focusing on exploration, extraction and concentration of uranium from its ores in Saudi Arabia. It also hosts a panel discussion on nuclear responsibilities.

The workshop aims to strengthen cooperation with national and international business partners under the umbrella of technical cooperation with IAEA to highlight the most important challenges during the work of a feasibility study for the production of uranium in the Kingdom. The economic impact, environmental precautions during the feasibility study, as well as the system of radiological practice in the work of uranium exploration, and the latest global methods in the mining and identification of uranium stocks are also figured in the deliberations. The workshop also sheds light on how to attract investments for pre-feasibility studies, and infrastructure considerations in terms of location and facilities needed during the feasibility phases.

In his opening speech, Dr. Al-Sultan stressed the need to apply international standards recommended by IAEA and the international system in terms of meeting the feasibility studies for the production of uranium. “Nationalization of know-how in atomic energy technologies and commercial investment are essential to achieve the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” he said.

For his part, Al-Modaifer underscored the importance of exchanging knowledge and experiences among the parties participating in the workshop because of its positive and effective impact in enabling and developing the skills of national human cadres working in these fields, localizing knowledge and promoting economic progress and prosperity.

The Uranium Mining Project is a component of Saudi Arabia’s National Atomic Energy Project, which will promote increased local content in industrial and service value chains and localize know-how in commercial and atomic energy technologies.