ADVANCED REACTORS | Li 6 AND Li 7
Above: The lopsided enriched lithium production landscape poses risks Source: LIS
Michael Palank, general partner at MaC Venture Capital (VC), a firm building a clean energy portfolio focused on “re- industrialisation and supply chain autonomy”, and one of Hexium’s investors, believes that fusion in particular is the key to the US’ energy-secure future. “Nuclear fusion shows potential to become the ultimate
form of abundant, cheap and clean energy. Thus, countries that master commercial fusion stand to be the wealthiest and most influential countries in the world for a long time to come, and it is essential that the US is one of those countries,” he says. However, enthusiasm alone won’t fuel the future. Without
a strong and reliable domestic supply chain, advanced nuclear technologies “cannot scale”, says Jarott. “Yet, the US remains critically dependent on foreign suppliers for these materials,” he explains. “Dependence on geopolitical rivals for critical isotopes creates strategic and economic risks. It threatens the stability of nuclear energy supply chains and undermines national security objectives tied to energy independence.” Now, the US and other government entities such as the
UK Atomic Energy Authority are racing against the clock and global competition to rebuild lithium isotope separation capabilities. “We are already seeing momentum in the form of policy shifts, investment and private sector initiatives to onshore isotope production,” says Jarott, whose company recently secured $12m in funding to advance atomic vapour laser isotope separation (AVLIS) technology for lithium enrichment – a technology that has historically “focused on uranium enrichment”. He believes that “with technologies like AVLIS, the US can substantially reduce foreign reliance for lithium isotopes within 3–5 years”. However, he and Palank note that further support to develop domestic lithium enrichment capabilities remains “extremely urgent”, and “now is the time” to accelerate progress as “both the technology and market are aligned”. “Advances in lithium isotope separation technology,
coupled with urgent demand for clean energy and national security, make this the right time to re-establish US leadership in isotope production,” Jarott elaborates. Palank agrees: “Only recently have we seen the market
signals and geopolitical landscape align to make domestic lithium enrichment commercially possible… we are now preparing for a new era of urgency and demand for lithium isotopes.”
32 | October 2025 |
www.neimagazine.com
The race to the finish line For advanced nuclear ambitions to become reality, there are a host of challenges that still need to be addressed, including “securing supply of enriched uranium, reducing costs of developing reactors and technologically innovating across industrial automation, design and power infrastructure”, says Palank. Amid these priorities, lithium enrichment has largely remained on the backburner – but it is time to bring it forward. While commercial fusion and MSRs may still be in the
distance, governments and private investors alike are beginning to recognise that if demand from fusion and advanced fission grows exponentially and simultaneously, the world could face a supply crunch unlike any it has seen.
Building a secure supply of enriched lithium is about
future-proofing the clean energy transition. As per Jarott, “isotopes are essential to unlocking a safer, cleaner and more efficient nuclear future. Without a reliable domestic supply, the ambitious road maps of fusion and fission developers are not achievable.” “The nice part about investing in lithium isotope
producers now is that while demand for Li-6 for commercial fusion operations may be one or two decades away, there are still several well-funded fusion companies today that have rather large demand for Li-6 for use in their experimental reactors,” Palank adds. Indeed, the EU reported that the ITER test blanket module required approximately 200kg of enriched lithium, while estimations for the DEMO reactor are predicted to require more than 60t/GW, declaring it “unclear whether sufficient Li-6 will be available”. Palank thus recognises opportunity in getting a head
start. “Given demand for just experimental fusion reactors, we feel there is a path for lithium enrichers to get to several hundred million in revenue now, and when commercial fusion becomes reality, reach the billions,” he states. “Isotope enrichment will be a cornerstone of the clean
energy transition,” Jarott concludes. “As fusion matures and advanced fission reactors deploy, demand for specialised isotopes will surge, not just for lithium but others critical to energy, space and medicine. “In 5–10 years, I see isotope enrichment moving from a niche capability to a strategic industry, underpinning energy independence, technological leadership and decarbonisation efforts globally.” ■
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53
