U.S. SuperCritical Receives License to Extract Uranium from Seawater, Plans 839 Tons Annual Production by 2030

en.Wedoany.com Reported - U.S. company SuperCritical Materials has received a license from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to commercialize a patented manufacturing process for an adsorbent that extracts uranium from seawater. The technology, developed by researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) with support from the DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy, has proven the feasibility of extracting uranium from seawater. SuperCritical has been granted the license for this manufacturing process, enabling it to be the first to deploy the technology at industrial scale in the United States, followed by expansion to allied nations seeking to strengthen their domestic nuclear fuel security.

The world's oceans contain approximately 4.5 billion tons of uranium, more than 1,000 times the proven land-based reserves. SuperCritical believes that through technological advancements in selective adsorption chemistry, materials science, and industrial applications, it can not only tap into this uranium resource but also recover other strategically important materials from seawater. The process uses specially treated acrylic fibers coated with proprietary adsorption chemicals, which bind dissolved uranium ions in the water for collection.

SuperCritical co-founder Gary Gill, a former PNNL scientist, pioneered this research. In addition to uranium, the company plans to co-recover other strategic critical minerals from seawater to strengthen the U.S. domestic manufacturing supply chain. The company plans to build its first plant in Texas, targeting an annual production capacity of 1.85 million pounds (approximately 839 tons) of uranium, enough to meet the electricity needs of about 4 million households for one year. SuperCritical estimates that after obtaining regulatory approvals from 13 different agencies, it could begin uranium production in 2030 or 2031.

SuperCritical describes its mission as becoming the fuel layer for the intelligence economy. While reactor developers build power generation systems, the company is committed to providing the uranium and critical materials infrastructure needed for these systems to operate at scale. The company believes this upstream supply chain role represents one of the most significant opportunities in the emerging nuclear economy. The intelligence economy refers to the next phase of economic growth driven by artificial intelligence, advanced computing, robotics, autonomous systems, advanced manufacturing, defense technology, and digital infrastructure.

Alexander Canon Bryan, founder and CEO of SuperCritical Materials, stated that the company's goal is clear: if the intelligence economy requires abundant, reliable nuclear energy, then it also requires abundant, reliable nuclear fuel, and SuperCritical is building the infrastructure to supply that fuel. The company is proud to advance technology developed by the DOE and contribute to strengthening U.S. energy security, industrial competitiveness, and technological leadership.

SuperCritical Materials is a private company headquartered in Austin, Texas. From the 2000s to the 2010s, the DOE funded research on extracting uranium from seawater, led by PNNL researchers under the direction of Gary Gill. SuperCritical Materials was founded by Alexander Canon Bryan in 2024, with Gill joining as a co-founder to lead the technology program. In November 2025, Skyline Builders Group Holding Limited signed a letter of intent to acquire SuperCritical. Around the same time, Neal Froneman, former CEO of global precious metals giant Sibanye-Stillwater, resigned to join SuperCritical in a leadership role. In January 2026, SuperCritical joined the Texas Nuclear Alliance, laying the groundwork for aligning its business with regional infrastructure goals. In May, the company joined the Terra Praxis REPOWER Alliance as a designated fuel supply partner supporting the scaled deployment of advanced reactors.

The commercial license issued by the DOE for PNNL's patented adsorbent manufacturing technology legally prohibits U.S. competitors from using this government-developed process. SuperCritical plans to achieve first production between 2030 and 2031. This is the window the company has planned to navigate the complex regulatory system spanning 13 different government agencies, at which point it will launch the first industrial-scale seawater uranium extraction operation. SuperCritical has raised $4.5 million through private financing and plans to list on Nasdaq in 2026. Alexander Canon Bryan stated that the company's long-term goal is to transform the United States from a net importer of uranium and nuclear fuel to a net exporter. Ted Garrish, DOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, said the technology has the potential to make significant contributions to the nation's long-term fuel security and industrial competitiveness.