Jordanian Uranium Project
Jordan Uranium Mining Company (JUMCO)
The Jordan Uranium Mining Company (JUMCO) was established as a private limited liability company in 2013, wholly owned by the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan through the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission. The company's purpose is to explore, mine, and process nuclear and non-nuclear minerals, such as uranium, thorium, zirconium, and vanadium, found in the kingdom's natural deposits.
Since its inception, the company has been actively developing the uranium project in central Jordan. JUMCO has implemented a systematic approach based on procedures and controls to ensure all project aspects are executed in an auditable manner according to international best practices and standards. All project development phases require compliance with international standards to meet all requirements and accurately assess risks and returns. The company has achieved significant results in geological exploration, resource estimation of uranium ore, and effective, high-purity uranium extraction.
General
- To provide a reliable and sustainable local fuel source to reduce dependence on imported fuel and other energy types
Economic
- To establish an economically viable source of nuclear fuel to operate the planned nuclear power plant in Jordan.
- To export surplus product (yellowcake) to support the national economy.
- To mitigate energy market fluctuations.
- To develop internal technical capabilities to support and advance the mining industry.
- To ease the financial burden by reducing fuel imports.
Social
- To create job opportunities for local communities during the construction and operation phases of the mining plant.
- To support and develop local communities.
Strategic
- To reduce national dependence on fuel imports.
- To secure a sustainable nuclear fuel source. Jordan Uranium Mining Company
Achievements of the Jordan Uranium Mining Company
1
Phase one - Uranium Ore Exploration
The Company conducted several field operations to collect rock samples with specific properties and concentrations required for extraction processes. A total of 520 tons of raw materials were collected, physically processed, packaged, and transported to the field camp for pilot plant operations to extract uranium.
To meet environmental requirements, the company rehabilitates exploration sites after completing field studies or sampling. Rehabilitation is conducted following global standards to restore the site to its original condition before exploration. This process considers aspects like the arrangement of extracted soil and rock layers. All exploration sites have been rehabilitated with the involvement of local community members, who are compensated for their participation as part of the company’s commitment to community development.
2
Uranium Extraction and Yellowcake Production
Uranium is extracted by operating all components of the pilot plant, advancing through numerous stages starting from lab experiments on small quantities of ore (no more than kilograms) to larger quantities, eventually processing hundreds of tons of uranium ore
Stages of Development in Uranium Extraction Studies
3
Phase 2 - Experimental Uranium Extraction Plant (Pilot Plant)
Building on successful trials in earlier project phases, the company established a pilot plant operating in both continuous and semi-continuous modes for uranium extraction at the Swaqa field camp. The successful operation of all plant components has allowed the company to produce tens of kilograms of high-purity, efficient yellowcake, and to obtain essential data for completing detailed engineering designs for commercial-scale production.This data is also vital for economic feasibility studies to enhance operational conditions and increase yellowcake production.
Sample of yellowcake produced in the pilot plant
4
Establishment of the Mining Studies Laboratory
Work was completed in 2022-2023 to develop and equip a mining studies and research laboratory for yellowcake production processes, with specialized equipment in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This laboratory forms the core for researching and developing chemical processes in the mining sector in Jordan, supporting this industry in the future.
Mining studies and research laboratory for extraction processes.
5
Extraction of Companion Elements in Central Jordan Ores
Based on the preliminary economic feasibility study for the uranium project in central Jordan, the company is currently exploring various scenarios to enhance the project’s economic viability, considering the rising global uranium market prices in recent years. Additionally, practical experiments are underway to separate valuable companion elements, such as vanadium oxides, from uranium. The separation and precipitation of high-purity vanadium oxide as a by-product have been studied, focusing on selecting suitable materials and optimal conditions for ion exchange concentration and separation of vanadium from uranium-bearing solutions.
Separation and precipitation of high-purity vanadium oxide from uranium solutions.
6
Analytical Laboratories
The analytical laboratories aim to meet all laboratory testing requirements for various elements and chemical compounds using the latest analytical equipment, supporting the uranium ore exploration, processing, and extraction project.
State-of-the-art laboratories have been established at the project site in cooperation with the IAEA, equipped for hydrometallurgical, chemical, and physical analyses related to uranium extraction. Facilities include labs for physical and chemical preparation, as well as analytical laboratories, with equipment such as:
Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES)
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)
Ion Chromatography (IC)
Automated titration
Wavelength Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (WDXRF)
7
Establishment of Quality System for ISO Accreditation (ISO – 17025:2017)
The company’s laboratories received global ISO 17025 certification for quality control, the highest internationally recognized standard for testing and measurement laboratories, adopted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This accreditation allows the laboratories to expand globally and offer physical and chemical testing services.
ISO (ISO – 17025:2017) certification
D. Francois-Bongarcon (2015) Ore heterogeneity case study and optimisation of sampling protocols for the Central Jordan Uranium project, Applied Earth Science, 124:2, 90-94, DOI: 10.1179/1743275815Y.0000000001 Click here
C. Bessin, J. Deraisme & D. Renard (2015) Choice of a methodological approach for the estimation of recoverable resources with Uranium deposits in Central Jordan, Applied Earth Science, 124:2, 95-103, DOI: 10.1179/1743275815Y.0000000002 Click here
H. N. Khoury (2015) Uranium minerals of central Jordan, Applied Earth Science, 124:2, 104-128, DOI: 10.1179/1743275815Y.0000000005 Click here
M. Z. Abzalov & H. Allaboun (2015) Bulk sample testing for metallurgical characterisation of surficial uranium mineralisation at the Central Jordan Uranium Project, Applied Earth Science, 124:2, 129-134, DOI: 10.1179/1743275815Y.0000000010 Click here
A. van der Heyden, A. Sader, A. Al Dajani, T. Barahmeh, Exploration trenches for uranium resource evaluation, Applied Earth Science, 2015, 124(2), 78-89, doi: 10.1179/1743275815Y.0000000008 Click here
M. Z. Abzalov, A. van der Heyden, A. Saymeh & M. Abuqudaira (2015) Geology and metallogeny of Jordanian uranium deposits, Applied Earth Science, 124:2, 63-77, DOI: 10.1179/1743275815Y.0000000009 Click here
For more information, visit the official website of the Jordan Uranium Mining Company Click here.