Sustainable Uranium Resources Development Business Model Canvas for the PNRI, Philippines

1. Sustainable Uranium Resources Development Business Model Canvas for the PNRI, Philippines Presented by Rolando Reyes

2. Sustainable Uranium Resources Development in the Philippines The systematic exploration for uranium was started in 1977 and this was tied up with the decision to build the first nuclear power plant in the Philippines. As a consequence of the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the search for uranium suffered a major setback when the Philippines decided to mothball, hence not operate the almost complete nuclear power plant. In May 1995 however, Executive Order (EO) No. 243 was issued that created the Nuclear Power Steering Committee that provided the policies, direction, monitoring, evaluation, and other functions necessary and appropriate to attain the objectives of the overall Nuclear Power Program of the country. Part of section 7 of this EO states that, “the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) shall also conduct research and development programs on the various facets of the nuclear fuel cycle, including the resumption of activities on uranium exploration”. To date, about 70% of the Country has been systematically explored from reconnaissance to some detailed level using the combined radiometric and geochemical survey methods, but no major uranium deposit has been discovered so far, except for few minor mineralizations. This prompted PNRI to shift its quest for uranium to unconventional sources.

3. Sustainable Uranium Resources Development in the Philippines The PNRI with this new focus now seeks to support a new technological model for the extractive industries in the Philippines to address value-addition, prevent environmental contamination and hinged on “zero waste” solutions to increase revenues, employment generation and social benefits through knowledge and human capital creation. PNRI will support exploration/mining companies, mineral based industries, academic institutions and Government agencies in effort to increase the value from mining and mineral based activities. Apart from topical reports, publications and presentations, PNRI will also provide training and consultancy services to different agencies.

4. Sustainable Uranium Resources Development in the Philippines In terms of U exploration, two projects are currently being pursued. 1). The Nuclear Research Foundation partly financially-funded project “Geochemical and Radiometric Characterization of the REE-Th-U Heavy Sand Deposits in San Vicente, Northwestern Palawan” in which two highly prospective coastal areas in Northwest Palawan, the Ombo and Erawan beaches were delineated to contain allanite and monazite, both are major REE-Th with minor U heavy minerals. 2). The IAEA-Contract Research Project entitled “Geochemical and Radiometric Characterization of the Cu-Mo-U Occurrences in the Larap-Paracale Mineralized District, Camarines Norte, Philippines”. Rocks sampled within this mineralized district having a base metal zone with numerous occurrences containing complex assemblages of Cu-Mo-U showed Cu varying from 155.4 – 451.9 ppm, Mo from 87.9 – 461.3 ppm and U from 35.1 – 74.4 ppm. Uranium in these two projects is projected to be produced as a by-product. REE-Thorium Potential Area NORTHERN PALAWAN OMBO AREA ERAWAN AREA Reddish Black Allanite Yellow Monazite. BLACK HEAVY BEACH SAND

5. Sustainable Uranium Resources Development in the Philippines In the aspect of U processing, the IAEA Technical Cooperation project “Comprehensive Extraction of Uranium, REE and other Valuable Resources from Wet Phosphoric Acid” is presently being undertaken in collaboration with the Philippine Phosphate Fertilizer Corporation (PHILPHOS) with financial assistance from the National Research Council of the Philippines. PHILPHOS imports about 1.17 million metric tons of phosphate raw ore per year and is being processed for the production of fertilizers. Selected samples of phosphoric acid were analyzed and indicated U to vary from 59.37to 98.72 ppm together with V (70.28 – 123.8 ppm), Cr (83.67 – 99.78 ppm), Zn (86.15 – 175.77 ppm), Sr (18.67 – 21.35) and REE (total 17.71 – 20.03 ppm). All these elements are lost through the fertilizers, hence this project is being conducted to see the possibility of commercial by-product recovery of these valuable elements. Two positive gains are envisioned from this project; (1) possible economic benefit from the extraction of uranium and other valuable resources, and (2) eliminates potential risk from the build-up of radioactive and other elements in the soil due to continuous application of phosphate fertilizers. Results of fluorimetric analysis SAMPLES Produced Fertilizers Phosrocks Phosphogypsum Results of ICP-MS analysis

6. Sustainable Uranium Resources Development in the Philippines The small but effective team of 7 in PNRI works in close partnership with many Governmental agencies, private companies, academic institutions and international institutes. PNRI has well equipped laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment. AAS PORTABLE GAMMA RAY SPECTROMETER WDXRF FLUORIMETER ICP - AES

7. Infrastructure • Key activities • U exploration National Project: Survey for Nuclear and Other Industrial Minerals 1. Geochemical and Radiometric Characterization of the REE-Th-U Heavy Sand Deposits in San Vicente, Northwestern Palawan 2. Geochemical and Radiometric Characterization of the Cu-Mo-U Occurrences in the Larap-Paracale Mineralized District, Camarines Norte, Philippines • U processing Comprehensive Extraction of Uranium, REE and other Valuable Resources from Wet Phosphoric Acid • Activities in related areas Resource Evaluation and Characterization of Uranium, Thorium, Rare Earth and Other Essential Elements From Commercial Phosphate Fertilizer Processing Industry in the Philippines

8. Infrastructure • Key resources • Human Resources - 1 mining engineer/geologist; 2 geologists; 2 chemists; 1 metallurgist and 1 civil engineer • Physical resources – Nuclear Materials Research Laboratory of PNRI • Financial – Annual funding • Intellectual • Key partners • Department of Science and Technology (DOST) • National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) • Nuclear Research Foundation (NRF) • Philippine Phosphate Fertilizer Corporation (PHILPHOS) • University of the Philippines’ National Institute of Geological Sciences (UPNIGS) • Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute (FIPR) • International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

9. Value Propositions A new technological model for extractive industries in Philippines to address value-addition, prevent environmental contamination and hinged on “zero waste” solutions to increase revenues, generate employment and social benefits through knowledge and human capital creation • TECHNOLOGICAL VALUE • New model for the extractive industry • Non-contamination of agricultural soil • Towards “zero waste” • ECONOMIC VALUE • Increase revenue through sale of products and services • Generation of employment • SOCIAL VALUE • Knowledge capital - Increase in knowledge • Human capital - Professional growth

10. Customers • Customer Segments • Mining/exploration companies; extractive industries • Academic institutions • Government agencies - DOE, NPC, DOST, DENR (MGB) • Channels • Data and research output are disseminated through reports and publications. • Presentations in PNRI-hosted activities and training programs; national conferences and seminars/workshops; and presentations in various public/private academic institutions. • Customer Relationships • Steering Committee • Direct meetings • Networking • Casual constant communication/sending e-mails • Social Media (FB, LinkedIn, ....)

11. Finances • Cost structure • Value driven • Reduction in long-run average and marginal costs, due to the production of similar or related goods or services where the output or provision of an item 'A' reduces the cost of item 'B.' • Comprehensive extraction is economics of scope by extracting/producing all available resources, not just the commodity target(s). • Revenue streams • Annual General Appropriations Act (GAA), Public and Private Funding Institutions, Foreign Research Institutions/Agencies, International Agencies • NRCP and NRF = €8,760.00, IAEA = in kind + €5,000 [2 CRP], FIPR = in kind

12. The Uranium Business Model Canvas for PNRI