International Isotopes buys uranium material

Idaho-based International Isotopes Inc., which is building a $93 million uranium deconversion and fluorine extraction facility near Hobbs, N.M., has purchased approximately 1,200 metric tons of depleted uranium materials from LATA/Parallax Portsmouth LLC, a U.S. Department of Energy remediation contractor.

According to a news release, the sale will save DOE approximately $1.9 million in future disposal costs, while providing feedstock for International Isotopes’ de-conversion facility.

The company’s plant will convert byproduct materials from uranium enrichment operations into readily disposable forms. The process will produce high-value specialty fluoride gases, which can be used in products like thin film photovoltaic materials for solar applications and computer chips.