Saudi Arabia's new nuclear frontier: Uranium enrichment and sales

Saudi Arabia plans to enrich uranium and sell it, says Energy Minister Abdulaziz.

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Saudi Arabia plans to enrich and sell uranium as part of its broader strategy to monetize its minerals, according to the country's energy minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.

Speaking at a conference in Dhahran on Monday, Prince Abdulaziz stated, “We will enrich it and we will sell it and we will do a ‘yellowcake’,” referring to the powdered concentrate of uranium used to prepare fuel for nuclear reactors.

He emphasised that while yellowcake requires careful handling, it poses minimal radiation risks.

Saudi Arabia is pursuing the development of a nuclear program, with aspirations to eventually include uranium enrichment. This move is considered sensitive, given the potential connection to nuclear weapons production.

The kingdom has expressed its intention to use nuclear power as a means to diversify its energy sources.

Prince Abdulaziz’s comments come amidst Saudi Arabia’s ongoing nuclear ambitions, which have raised concerns in the region.

In 2018, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated that Saudi Arabia would seek to develop nuclear weapons if regional rival Iran were to do so.

Neighboring Gulf state the United Arab Emirates (UAE) operates the Arab world’s first multi-unit nuclear energy plant. However, the UAE has pledged not to engage in uranium enrichment or the reprocessing of spent fuel.

Additionally, Saudi Arabia is planning to end its current light-touch oversight of its nuclear facilities by the United Nations atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The kingdom intends to shift to more regular safeguards by the end of 2024.

At present, Saudi Arabia has yet to activate its first nuclear reactor, which allows its nuclear program to be monitored under the Small Quantities Protocol (SQP). This agreement, which the IAEA has with less advanced nuclear states, exempts them from certain reporting obligations and inspections.