MANILA: Filipino scientists have identified potential uranium reserves in Camarines Norte that they expect to support the country’s nuclear energy ambitions.Scientists from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, the University of the Philippines Diliman and Japan’s Akita University have been analyzing uranium-bearing minerals in surface samples at the Bessemer mine pit in Larap village, Jose Panganiban, about 350 km southeast of Manila.The study, announced over the weekend, confirmed that uraninite, the most common uranium ore, is the “main uranium-bearing mineral on the surface deposits examined,” the PNRI said in a statement.“The study also revealed that the material can be processed into a product with higher uranium content. This finding is an important step toward further research on producing uranium concentrate, commonly known as ‘yellowcake,’ an intermediate material used in the nuclear fuel cycle. The study arrives at a timely moment as the country moves forward to include nuclear power in the future energy mix.”The Philippine Energy Plan targets the entry of at least 1,200 megawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2032.Uranium, a dense heavy metal, is the primary fuel used in nuclear reactors to generate electricity via nuclear fission. A single uranium fuel pellet, the size of a coffee bean, can produce as much energy as about one tonne of coal. Through laboratory processes, Filipino researchers managed to obtain the uranium concentration of 305 parts per million (0.0305 percent) from a 180 kg sample. Such concentration is low-grade and more exploratory drilling will be required to establish its commercial viability.It is still significant because the Philippines has historically been considered to have zero domestic uranium potential.Even if the uranium is not immediately utilized for power generation, it can become an export product if developed, according to Alberto Dalusung III, energy transition adviser at the Manila-based Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities.“Sometime in the future, we will have the opportunity to build a cost-effective nuclear power plant for our own use. Having the fuel here will improve resilience of that nuclear power plant. Also, it will help us improve our economic standing if we are able to find a resource big enough that we can actually export,” he told Arab News.“Our neighbors in ASEAN, who may also be thinking of nuclear, can look to the Philippines, assuming we have that resource to be the supplier of that uranium, and therefore, they would be more confident if they can supply within ASEAN.”