Licence application for US deconversion plant

04 January 2010

International Isotopes has submitted its licence application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its proposed depleted uranium deconversion and fluorine extraction processing facility in Hobbs, New Mexico. The NRC licence review is expected to take 18-24 months to complete. The facility will remove fluorine from depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6) left over from the uranium enrichment process - and use it to manufacture high-value fluoride gases. The company plans to select a design and construction contractor in 2010 and may also initiate some pre-licence construction activities at the Hobbs site, subject to NRC approval. Construction of the facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012. International Isotopes president and CEO Steve Laflin commented, "The submission of this licence application represents another significant accomplishment for the company and is the most recent milestone ion our continued progress towards construction of this unique, commercial, environmentally friendly nuclear facility. The project is on target and on schedule."