NANO Nuclear joins Dioxitek for a major investment in uranium conversion

The American company Nano Nuclear Energy, which develops and builds nuclear microreactors and other advanced technologies to generate clean energy, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Dioxitek SA, an Argentine state-owned company that is the only national manufacturer of uranium raw material for the production of nuclear fuel.

The non-binding agreement establishes a framework for cooperation aimed at evaluating Argentina's current uranium conversion capabilities and analyzing the available infrastructure to support key processes in the nuclear fuel cycle.

Based on this joint assessment, both parties will explore the possibility of developing an enrichment production line at Dioxitek's facilities, thereby strengthening the country's nuclear supply chain and promoting the peaceful use of atomic energy.

In this process, uranium dioxide plays a central role, as it is the raw material that is converted into uranium hexafluoride, an essential input for the enrichment of nuclear fuel used in power plants.

The United States and Argentina maintain the "123 Agreement" for peaceful nuclear cooperation, in force under the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954. This agreement regulates bilateral collaboration in nuclear research and development, always for non-military purposes.

In this context, Argentina, which has strategic uranium reserves, appears as a key partner to help address the global shortage of uranium hexafluoride, in addition to moving toward greater energy independence.

For Nano Nuclear, this step consolidates its growing presence in South America, in line with the deregulation being carried out by Javier Milei's government in strategic sectors linked to Argentina's energy development.

Nano Nuclear's statement

"Collaborating with Dioxitek of Argentina marks an important milestone for NANO Nuclear in South America and gives us access to real data with the potential to impact not only Argentina, but also the global nuclear fuel supply chain," said Jay Yu, founder and president of the company.

"Significant changes in Argentina's policies have created new opportunities for collaboration, allowing NANO Nuclear to actively contribute to the advancement of Argentina's growing nuclear infrastructure and fuel cycle capabilities. We look forward to expanding our collaboration to make this shared vision a reality," he added.

In the same vein, Nano Nuclear's CEO, James Walker, highlighted the country's favorable context: "The country's solid technical foundation and strong commitment to energy independence offer our company numerous opportunities. By combining our expertise with Argentina's vision, we seek to support the expansion of Argentina's nuclear infrastructure and make a significant contribution to the development of its full fuel cycle capabilities."

Meanwhile, Dioxitek SA keeps a strategic role in the national nuclear sector. This state-owned company is responsible for ensuring the supply of uranium dioxide for the production of fuel elements destined for the Embalse, Atucha I, and Atucha II nuclear power plants, pillars of the Argentine nuclear system.