China develops method to extract uranium from seawater

Chinese researchers developed an efficient, low-cost way of extracting uranium from seawater, which they hope will boost their country’s nuclear expansion.

The oceans are estimated to hold 5 billion tons of uranium, 1,000 times more than can be mined, but the dissolved minerals are dilute and difficult to gather.

The new system involves trapping uranium atoms with electric fields: It was 10 times as efficient as physical methods, and 1,000 times cheaper than previous electrical techniques.

Half of all the nuclear plants under construction worldwide are in China and authorities recently approved 10 more, but the country imports most of its uranium, so a domestic source could be transformative.