Uranium discovered in the Philippines: Researchers use two-stage process to concentrate uranium, what's next

Manila: Filipino scientists have successfully concentrated uranium from mineral samples in Larap, Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte, according to a recent study published in a scientific journal. The researchers, from the University of the Philippines Diliman, the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, and Japan's Akita University, utilized a two-stage process involving flotation and magnetic separation to achieve their results.

The deposit was discovered in Barangay Bessemer, Larap, an area with a history of mineral exploration, approximately 350km southeast of Manila. The combined process increased the uranium concentration from 244 parts per million (ppm) to 305 ppm, recovering around 73% of the uranium in the processed material. However, further drilling is required to ascertain the commercial viability of the uranium deposit.

The research demonstrates laboratory-scale uranium "preconcentration" but does not confirm the deposit's viability for commercial development.