Researchers have identified a promising uranium source in the southern Philippines as the country advances plans to integrate nuclear power into its future energy mix. The discovery, located in the Larap-Paracale mining district of Camarines Norte province, could potentially supply uranium for the nuclear fuel cycle pending further exploration and economic assessment.
The district, explored intermittently since the 1950s, yielded new samples from the Bessemer area—a zone newly identified with uranium mineralization. A collaborative investigation involving the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), the University of the Philippines Diliman, and Japan’s Akita University confirmed that surface deposits contain uraninite, a uranium-rich mineral that could be processed into uranium concentrate, commonly known as “yellowcake.” Approximately 180 kilograms of material were collected and analyzed, revealing uraninite grains alongside other minerals.
Despite this promising finding, authorities emphasize that additional work is required to determine the site’s commercial feasibility. This would include comprehensive geological, radiometric, geophysical surveys, followed by systematic drilling and core sample analysis. The PNRI highlighted that these steps are necessary before any definitive conclusions about the uranium deposit’s economic potential can be drawn.
The development aligns with the Philippines’ energy strategy, which targets commissioning at least 1,200 megawatts of nuclear capacity by 2032 as outlined in the country’s long-term energy roadmap. Concurrently, the government aims to enhance its critical minerals industry and grow its manufacturing sector, boosting the nation’s industrial capabilities.
Djoan Kate Tungpalan, a mining engineering professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman and leader of the uranium recovery research, described the discovery as significant—provided the uranium reserves prove ample and economically viable. Having a domestic uranium source, she noted, could strengthen the country’s energy security by reducing reliance on volatile international markets. However, she also advised caution, recommending that the Philippines initially import nuclear fuel from established suppliers like Kazakhstan while gradually building its own nuclear fuel cycle capabilities.
The nation’s nuclear efforts date back to the 1970s and 1980s with the construction of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, which was ultimately never commissioned due to safety concerns, corruption allegations, and the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster. Angel Bautista VII of the PNRI, who directs a government-funded nuclear fuel cycle research program initiated in 2024, acknowledged that the Philippines is still in the early stages of reestablishing its nuclear infrastructure—including uranium recovery and radioactive waste management—before achieving full commercial nuclear fuel production.
Experts caution that the Philippines need not develop the entire nuclear fuel cycle independently but could focus on selective areas while collaborating internationally for other stages like uranium enrichment.
The uranium discovery also intersects with broader industrial ambitions, including proposals such as Pax Silica, a 1,620-hectare high-tech hub on Luzon island aimed at semiconductor and artificial intelligence industries. The hub would demand approximately 3 gigawatts of embedded power—about 16 percent of Luzon’s grid capacity—far exceeding current available generation. Carlo Arcilla, a geologist and former PNRI director, stated that nuclear energy remains the only viable power source capable of meeting such high demand sustainably, noting that renewable alternatives like solar power would require impractically large land areas.
In August, the Department of Energy identified seven potential new nuclear site locations across several provinces, including Bataan, Palawan, Masbate, Pangasinan, and Camarines Norte. While some advocate for reactivating the Bataan plant, many experts recommend constructing new plants to avoid past political controversies.
Tungpalan concluded that developing local uranium mining and processing capabilities could serve as a strategic step for the Philippines, with more sensitive parts of the fuel cycle handled in partnership with international suppliers. This discovery, therefore, represents a potential strategic option for the country’s evolving nuclear energy program rather than an immediate fuel source for its inaugural plants.