China Cooperates With Saudi Arabia On Search For Uranium And Thorium

19 Dec (NucNet): Saudi Arabia has begun a survey in cooperation with China for uranium and thorium resources that could be used for nuclear power generation, a report by Saudi financial news portal Argaam said. The report said the survey is being carried out by the Saudi Geological Survey in cooperation with the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy and the China National Nuclear Corporation in the landlocked Hail region in the north of the country. Last month, Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said it had sent proposals to Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter; for the construction of a first nuclear power plant in the country. Russia’s state-owned Tass news agency said the proposals were part of Saudi Arabia’s tender process for signing a construction contract for the proposed facility. Media reports said Saudi Arabia was expected to contact potential vendors from a number of countries including Russia, China, South Korea and France. The reports said Saudi Arabia wants to start construction next year of two nuclear plants with a total electricity generating capacity of up to 2,800 MW. In August 2017 Reuters reported that China and Saudi Arabia signed agreements to cooperate on the development of nuclear energy.