Nuclear Fuel from Nuclear Waste

Formation of NewMOX SAS, France

Amsterdam, 4 April 2024 --- AMG Critical Materials N.V. ("AMG", EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: "AMG") is pleased to announce the formation of NewMOX SAS, Grenoble, France, to service the nuclear fuel market. NewMOX is a subsidiary of ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH, Hanau, Germany ("ALD"), AMG’s engineering subsidiary focused on vacuum furnace technology, which includes sintering furnace systems enabling the production of commercial nuclear fuel from plutonium and depleted uranium (termed “MOX”). ALD's MOX technology has been applied in Germany, the United States, France, Belgium, the United Kingdom and recently ALD has been delivering such furnace systems to China. ALD – where D stands for Degussa – inherited the MOX technology from Degussa AG, ALD’s former owner (later renamed Evonik AG).

Presently, the total global storage of civil-use plutonium resulting from the reprocessing of used fuel from commercial nuclear power operations stands at 380 tons, and this figure continues to grow with ongoing nuclear power generation. Furthermore, if turned into electricity, this plutonium could power 36 one-gigawatt nuclear power plants for 20 years. Recycling this plutonium would result in “CO₂ free” power and a saving of over 2 billion tons of CO₂ if measured against a coal dominated grid. It should also be noted that the circularity associated with the conversion of plutonium into MOX reduces uranium mining and therefore further increases the attractiveness of nuclear power in CO₂ terms.

The storage of plutonium is extremely costly due to the risks associated with plutonium. The conversion of plutonium into MOX fuel not only eliminates these risks but can be a commercially attractive alternative to storage. As an indicator, the conversion of 380 tons of plutonium into MOX translates at present fuel prices into a commercial value of $15 to $20 billion.

“We are excited that our furnace technology engineering excellence has created a new project which resulted in the formation of NewMOX SAS. We have appointed Serge Bertrand, head of ALD France, Grenoble, where ALD has centered its nuclear technology activities, to be CEO of NewMOX. Dr. Johannes Fachinger, head of nuclear ALD Hanau, will be Chief Technology Officer. Both gentlemen have extensive industry expertise, and most recently were in charge of implementing the MOX furnace technology in a Chinese factory,” said Michael Hohmann, ALD’s CEO.