Lightbridge Corporation Achieves Milestone in Nuclear Fuel Development

RESTON, Va, February 12, 2025 – Lightbridge Corporation (NASDAQ: LTBR) has made a significant stride in its nuclear fuel technology development endeavors. The company announced today the successful co-extrusion of a coupon sample comprising an alloy of depleted uranium and zirconium with an outer cladding made of nuclear-grade zirconium alloy material. This achievement was realized through a collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory (INL).

The co-extrusion demonstration conducted at INL involved pressing a metallic alloy billet encased in zirconium alloy cladding through a die to produce an approximately 8-foot-long cylindrical rod. This milestone marks an essential fabrication step under Lightbridge’s Strategic Partnership Project Agreement with Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (BEA), the U.S. Department of Energy’s operating contractor for INL.

The uranium-zirconium alloy utilized in the created rodlet is identical to the composition intended for Lightbridge’s future commercial Lightbridge Fuel™ product. Moving forward, INL and Lightbridge are poised to analyze the co-extruded coupon sample to validate the extrusion process parameters.

These advancements lay the groundwork for forthcoming production of coupon samples using enriched uranium. These samples will undergo capsule irradiation testing in INL’s Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) under an existing Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between Lightbridge and BEA. The planned irradiation testing program, coupled with post-irradiation examination activities, seeks to provide critical irradiation performance data for Lightbridge’s advanced fuel, supporting regulatory licensing efforts for its commercial deployment.

Ron Crone, INL Associate Laboratory Director, remarked, “This milestone exemplifies the collaboration and innovation driving the advancement of Lightbridge Fuel. We are proud to support Lightbridge in this important work.” Dr. Scott Holcombe, Vice President of Engineering at Lightbridge Corporation, added, “This successful co-extrusion demonstration is a testament to the continuous progress we have made in our collaborative efforts with INL, advancing the safety, efficiency, and performance of nuclear fuel.”

About Idaho National Laboratory:
INL is the nation’s center for nuclear energy research and development, managed by Battelle Energy Alliance for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy.

About Lightbridge Corporation:
Lightbridge Corporation focuses on developing advanced nuclear fuel technology aimed at providing clean, zero-emission energy globally. The company is working on Lightbridge Fuel™, a proprietary next-generation nuclear fuel technology for existing light water reactors and pressurized heavy water reactors.

For more information, visit www.ltbridge.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:
Except for historical matters, discussions in this release contain forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ significantly. Lightbridge does not assume any obligation to update such statements. Risk factors are detailed in Lightbridge’s SEC filings.

Contact:
Matthew Abenante, IRC
Director of Investor Relations
Tel: +1 (347) 947-2093
[email protected]

This article was generated by an automated content engine and was reviewed by a human editor prior to publication. For additional information, read Lightbridge’s 8K filing here.

About Lightbridge

Lightbridge Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in developing nuclear fuel technology. It develops and commercializes metallic nuclear fuels. The company was formerly known as Thorium Power, Ltd. and changed its name to Lightbridge Corporation in September 2009. Lightbridge Corporation is headquartered in Reston, Virginia.