aspi_10k.htm

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

☒	ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the year ended December 31, 2022

☐	TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to

Commission File Number 001-39069

ASP Isotopes Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware		87-2618235
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

433 Plaza Real, Suite 275
Boca Raton, Florida 33432		33432
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip code)

(561) 709-3034

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

		Name of exchange
Title of each class	Trading Symbol	on which registered:
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share	ASPI	The Nasdaq Capital Market LLC

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☐
Non-accelerated Filer	☒	Smaller reporting company	☒
		Emerging growth company	☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant on March 29, 2023 was approximately $8.1 million.

There were 37,385,684 shares of the registrant’s common stock, $0.01 par value, outstanding as of March 29, 2023.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for its 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Proxy Statement”), to be filed within 120 days of the registrant’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, are incorporated by reference in Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Except with respect to information specifically incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Proxy Statement is not deemed to be filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ASP Isotopes Inc.

Annual Report on Form 10-K

For the Year Ended December 31, 2022

Table of Contents

		Page

PART I

Item 1.	Business	5

Item 1A.	Risk Factors	25

Item 1B.	Unresolved Staff Comments	56

Item 2.	Properties	57

Item 3.	Legal Proceedings	57

Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosures	57

PART II

Item 5.	Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities	58

Item 6.	Selected Financial Data	60

Item 7.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	61

Item 7A.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	69

Item 8.	Financial Statements and Supplementary Data	70

Item 9.	Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure	71

Item 9A.	Controls and Procedures	71

Item 9B.	Other Information	71

Item 9C.	Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections	71

PART III

Item 10.	Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance	72

Item 11.	Executive Compensation	72

Item 12.	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters	72

Item 13.	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence	72

Item 14.	Principal Accounting Fees and Services	72

PART IV

Item 15.	Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules	73

Item 16.	Form 10-K Summary	76

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “should,” “would,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are only predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions described in the section titled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Some of the key factors that could cause actual results to differ from our expectations include:

	·	our ability to complete the construction of, commission and successfully operate isotope enrichment plants in a cost-effective manner
	·	our ability to meet, and to continue to meet, applicable regulatory requirements for the use of the isotopes we may produce using the ASP technology;
	·	our ability to comply on an ongoing basis with the numerous regulatory requirements applicable to the ASP technology and our enrichment facilities in South Africa;
	·	the introduction, market acceptance and success of Mo-100 that we may produce using ASP technology as an alternative and potentially more convenient production route for Tc-99m;
	·	the success or profitability of our future offtake arrangements with respect to various isotopes that we may produce using ASP technology;
	·	a failure of demand for various isotopes that we may produce using ASP technology;
	·	our future capital requirements and sources and uses of cash;
	·	our ability to obtain funding for our operations and future growth;
	·	the extensive costs, time and uncertainty associated with new technology development;
	·	developments and projections relating to our competitors and industry;
	·	the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of assets of Molybdos (Pty) Limited in the “business rescue” auction and the ASP technology for the production of Mo-100 and U-235 we licensed from Klydon Proprietary Ltd;
	·	problems with the performance of the ASP technology in the enrichment of isotopes;
	·	our dependence on a limited number of third-party suppliers for certain components;
	·	our inability to adapt to changing technology and diagnostic landscape, such as the emergence of new diagnostic scanners or tracers;
	·	our expected dependence on a limited number of key customers for Mo-100 that we may produce using ASP technology;
	·	our inability to protect our intellectual property and the risk of claims that we have infringed on the intellectual property of others;
	·	our inability to compete effectively;
	·	risks associated with the current economic environment;
	·	risks associated with our international operations;
	·	We are subject to credit counterparty risk.
	·	geopolitical risk and changes in applicable laws or regulations;
	·	our inability to adequately protect our technology infrastructure;
	·	our inability to hire or retain skilled employees and the loss of any of our key personnel;
	·	operational risk;
	·	costs and other risks associated with becoming a reporting company and becoming subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;
	·	our inability to implement and maintain effective internal controls; and
	·	other factors that are described in “Risk Factors,” beginning on page 26.

These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, those set forth in Part I, Item 1A - “Risk Factors” below and for the reasons described elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Any forward-looking statement in this Annual Report on Form 10-K reflects our current view with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties, and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, industry, and future growth. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available in the future.

This Annual Report on Form 10-K also contains estimates, projections, and other information concerning our industry, our business, and the markets for certain drugs, including data regarding the estimated size of those markets, their projected growth rates, and the incidence of certain medical conditions. Information that is based on estimates, forecasts, projections, or similar methodologies is inherently subject to uncertainties, and actual events or circumstances may differ materially from events and circumstances reflected in this information. Unless otherwise expressly stated, we obtained these industry, business, market, and other data from reports, research surveys, studies, and similar data prepared by third parties, industry, medical and general publications, government data, and similar sources. In some cases, we do not expressly refer to the sources from which these data are derived.

Except where the context otherwise requires, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, “we,” “us,” “our,” “ASP Isotopes,” and the “Company” refer to ASP Isotopes Inc. and, where appropriate, its consolidated subsidiaries.

Trademarks

All trademarks, service marks, and trade names included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this report may be referred to without the ® and ™ symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto.

PART I

Item 1. Business

Overview

We are a pre-commercial stage advanced materials company dedicated to the development of technology and processes that, if successful, will allow for the enrichment of natural isotopes into higher concentration products, which could be used in several industries. We have an exclusive license to use proprietary technology, the Aerodynamic Separation Process (“ASP technology”), originally developed and licensed to us by Klydon Proprietary Ltd (“Klydon”), for the production, distribution, marketing and sale of all isotopes. Our initial focus is on the production and commercialization of enriched Carbon-14 (“C-14”), Molybdenum-100 (“Mo-100”) and Silicon-28 (“Si-28”). Klydon has agreed to provide us a first commercial-scale isotope enrichment plant located in South Africa. We believe the C-14 we may develop using the ASP technology may be used in the development of new pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. We believe that the Mo-100 we may develop using the ASP technology has significant potential advantages for use in the preparation of nuclear imaging agents by radiopharmacies and others in the medical industry. We believe the Si-28 we may develop using the ASP technology may be used to develop advanced semiconductors and in quantum computing.

We also intend to develop the ASP technology to produce enriched Uranium-235 (“U-235”). We believe that the U-235 we may develop using the ASP technology may be commercialized as a nuclear fuel component for use in the new generation of HALEU-fuelled small modular reactors that are now under development for commercial and government uses. In addition, we are considering future development of the ASP technology for the separation of Zinc-68, Ytterbium-176, Zinc-67, Nickel-64 and Xenon-136 for potential use in the healthcare target end market, and Chlorine -37 and Lithium-6 for potential use in the nuclear energy target end market.

The aerodynamic separation technique has its origins in the South African uranium enrichment program in the 1980s and the ASP technology has been developed during the last 18 years by the scientists at Klydon. In Klydon’s testing, the ASP technology has demonstrated efficacy and commercial scalability in the enrichment of oxygen-18 and silicon-28. ASP Isotopes Inc. was incorporated in Delaware in September 2021 to acquire assets and license intellectual property rights related to the production of Mo-100 using the ASP technology. In January 2022 we also licensed intellectual property rights related to the production of U-235 using the ASP technology. In July 2022, we licensed intellectual property rights related to the production of all isotopes using the ASP technology.

We operate principally through subsidiaries: ASP Isotopes Guernsey Limited (the holding company of ASP Isotopes South Africa (Proprietary) Limited and Enlightened Isotopes (Pty) Ltd), which will be focused on the development and commercialization of high value, low volume isotopes for highly specialized end markets (such as C-14, Mo-100 and Si-28).; Enriched Energy LLC, which will be focused on the development and commercialization of uranium for the nuclear energy market; and ASP Isotopes UK Ltd, which is the licensee of the ASP technology under the exclusive license agreement with Klydon.

Our corporate structure and ownership of our subsidiaries is set forth in the chart below:

Recent Events

Completion of First Company Owned Plant

Our wholly owned subsidiary, ASP Isotopes South Africa (Pty) Ltd successfully completed the construction of our first Company owned plant, for light isotopes, during the first quarter of 2023. This facility located in Pretoria, South Africa, will, when fully commissioned, satisfy the production to fulfill our obligations to our prospective C-14 customer. We employ 27 persons at this facility. We expect to conclude the construction of a second larger plant later in 2023.

Klydon Agreements

On November 1, 2021, ASP Isotopes South Africa (Proprietary) Ltd (“ASP South Africa”) and Klydon (Proprietary) Limited (“Kyldon”), as the contractor, entered into a contract under which Klydon was to supply ASP South Africa with a complete turnkey isotope enrichment plant (the “Turnkey Contract”). Among other things, the activities required to be undertaken or performed by Klydon include taking control of the assets acquired in the Molybdos Business Rescue Auction and the design of an isotope enrichment facility; the supply of components, equipment and labor required for the construction; the installation, testing and commissioning of the isotope enrichment plant; securing all required approvals, regulatory authorizations and other required consents for the operation of the plant; providing training to local ASP South Africa personnel to enable them to operate the plant going forward; and providing warranties in relation to the performance targets of the plant which are required to be met.

Klydon performed a portion of the services required under the Turnkey Contract; however, services were incomplete and many of the services were not completed within the time frame required. As a result, Klydon and ASP South Africa entered into an Acknowledgement of Debt Agreement dated November 30, 2022, whereby Klydon (i) agreed to pledge its assets (the “Pledged Assets”) to ASP South Africa to secure its performance of the Turnkey Contract by December 31, 2022, and (ii) acknowledged that ASP South Africa would suffer damages in the amount of $6,050,000 (“Damage Amount”) should it fail to perform. Under the Acknowledgement of Debt Agreement, the Pledged Assets would serve as collateral for Klydon’s obligation to pay the Damage Amount should Klydon fail to perform. In connection therewith, also on November 30, 2022, ASP South Africa and Klydon entered into a Deed of Security Agreement whereby, if Klydon failed to complete its obligations under the Turnkey Contract by December 31, 2022, all of Klydon’s rights of any nature to and interests of any nature in the Pledged Assets would be transferred to ASP South Africa. Klydon failed to complete its obligations under the Turnkey Contract by December 31, 2022, and the Company plans to perfect its interests in the assets as soon as practicable.

Private Placement

On March 14, 2023, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with a single institutional investor (the “Purchaser”), pursuant to which we issued, in a private placement (the “Offering”), an aggregate of (i) 3,164,557 shares (the “Shares”) of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”); and (ii) warrants (the “Common Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 3,164,557 shares of Common Stock (the “Common Warrant Shares”), at a purchase price of $1.58 per one (1) share of Common Stock and accompanying Common Warrant, for a total gross proceeds of approximately $5.0 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses. The Common Warrants have an exercise price of $1.75 per share, are exercisable on or after September 17, 2023 and will expire on September 18, 2028. The Offering closed on March 17, 2023 (the “Closing”). The Offering was conducted pursuant to the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, available under Section 4(a)(2) and/or Rule 506(b) of Regulation D.

We engaged H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (the “Placement Agent”) to act as its exclusive placement agent in connection with the Offering, pursuant to the engagement letter (the “Engagement Letter”), dated as of February 15, 2023, between the Company and the Placement Agent. Pursuant to the Engagement Letter, we paid the Placement Agent (i) a total cash fee equal to 7.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering; (ii) a management fee of 1.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering; and (iii) reimbursement of certain expenses. In addition, we issued to the Placement Agent, or its designees warrants (the “PA Warrants”) to purchase up to 221,519 shares of Common Stock (the “PA Warrant Shares”) at an exercise price of $1.975 per share. The PA Warrants are exercisable on or after September 17, 2023 and will expire on September 18, 2028.

We received net proceeds of approximately $4.5 million from the Offering, after deducting the Placement Agent fees and other Offering expenses. We plan to use the net proceeds from the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes.

In connection with the Offering, on March 14, 2023, we entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with the investor (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) pursuant to which we are required to file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to register for resale the Shares and the Common Warrant Shares. We are required to use our best efforts to cause the registration statement to be declared effective by the SEC by April 28, 2023 or in the event of a “full review” by the SEC, by May 29, 2023. The Registration Rights Agreement imposed a penalty of 2% monthly of the total financing amount if the registration statement was not filed by March 29, 2023, which we failed to do. As such, we are obligated to pay a penalty of $100,000 to the Purchaser.

Our Strategy

Complete development and commissioning of our first enrichment facilities located in Pretoria, South Africa.

We intend to complete the development and construction of two enrichment facilities located in Pretoria, South Africa. We currently have two enrichment facilities in Pretoria, South Africa under either construction or commissioning. The first facility is designed to enrich light isotopes such as Carbon-14. The second facility, which is substantially larger than the first, should have the potential to enrich kilogram quantities of isotopes such as Molybdenum-100 and/or Silicon-28.

In October 2021, we acquired physical assets, including equipment, of Molybdos (Pty) Limited (Molybdos) located at the plant after having been declared the winner of a competitive auction process under Section 45 of the South Africa Consumer Protection Act, 2008 (the Molybdos Business Rescue Auction) and we licensed the ASP technology for the production of Mo-100 from Klydon Proprietary Ltd (Klydon). We subsequently entered into a turnkey contract with Klydon pursuant to which Klydon agreed to provide us a first commercial-scale isotope enrichment plant. The activities to be undertaken or performed by Klydon include: taking control of the assets acquired by us in the Molybdos Business Rescue Auction; the design of an enrichment facility; the supply of required components, equipment and labor; the installation, testing and commissioning of the enrichment facility; securing all required approvals, regulatory authorizations and other required consents for the operation of the plant; providing training to local ASP Isotopes South Africa (Proprietary) Limited personnel to enable them to operate the plant going forward; and providing warranties in relation to the performance targets of the plant which are required to be met. Klydon will also be responsible for liaising with the relevant South African authorities including the South African Non-Proliferation Council, the Nuclear Suppliers Group and International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure that the enrichment plant is compliant with international laws and guidelines.

In July 2022, we acquired a pilot plant, previously used by Klydon Proprietary Ltd (Klydon) to enrich Silicon-28 up to an abundance of 96.6%. This enriched Silicon-28 was then used for experimental work in the solar and electronics industries. We have spent the subsequent six months refurbishing and upgrading the facility so that it can produce commercial quantities of Carbon-14. In September 2022, we entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a North American customer for the entire capacity of this facility, under which we will supply the customer with C-14 enriched to 85%. The timing, quantity and supply date are subject to future agreement between the parties. The MOU states that the customer will supply the feedstock and we will enrich it under a tolling agreement.

Demonstrate the capability to produce C-14, Mo-100 and Si-28 using the ASP technology and capitalize on the opportunity to solve many supply chain challenges that currently exist.

We intend to demonstrate the capability to produce C-14, Mo-100 and Si-28 at a scale that can support anticipated customer demand for all three isotopes.

Historically, Russia has been the sole supplier of C-14, which is used as a tracer in the development of new pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. The supply chain has been inherently fragile with inconsistent service. Subject to the supply of feedstock from our customer, we intend to start the enrichment of C-14 during 2024.

Mo-100 as alternative and potentially more convenient production route for Tc-99m used in nuclear medical diagnostic procedures. Mo-99’s decay product, technetium-99m (Tc-99m), is used in medical procedures to diagnose heart disease and cancer, to study organ structure and function, and to perform other important medical applications. We intend to offer our Mo-100 to customers that may convert Mo-100 into Mo-99 or directly into Tc-99m, and we believe that the use of Mo-100 in this way will be an attractive alternative route to production of Tc-99m for a number of reasons.

	·	Only a small number of major reactors located around the world (e.g., Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands and South Africa) produce large-scale amounts of Mo-99, and these reactors are taken off-line periodically for refueling and maintenance and go off-line on an unscheduled basis due to the need for extended repairs, which results in a global Mo-99 supply chain that is lengthy, complex and prone to interruption and has experienced supply shortages. Customers that could use and stockpile Mo-100 would not have to manage the periodic shortages and supply chain challenges related to Mo-99.

	·	Mo-99 (a radioisotope with a 66-hour half-life) decays and loses activity in transit, so it must be moved through the supply chain quickly to minimize decay losses and it cannot be stockpiled. Mo-100 (a stable isotope of molybdenum that does not decay) will not decay in transit, so the supply chain would not be dependent on elapsed time from production of Mo-100 to the delivery of a Tc-99m dose to a hospital or clinic.

	·	Mo-99 (with decay product Tc-99m) must be shipped in shielded transport containers that comply with the regulatory requirements for safe transport of radioactive material. Mo-100 is stable (non-radioactive) and therefore does not have the same handling and shipping requirements.

Isotopically enriched silicon is regarded as a promising material for semiconductor quantum information due to very long coherence times and its compatibility with the readily available industrial platform. We believe that the ASP technology is ideally suited to the production of this isotope because ASP technology has the ability to enrich molecules of low molecular mass. Other electronic gasses that can likely be enriched using ASP Technology include disilane and germane.

Continue identifying potential offtake customers and strategic partners for our isotopes.

We have already seen significant interest from potential offtake customers for the isotopes that we intend to produce. In November, 2022 we entered a 25-year supply agreement for highly enriched Mo-100 with BRICEM (Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Engineering Metallurgy). The contract has a value of up to $27.0 million per annum. We have had or are currently in active dialogue with many other potential customers that could use the entire anticipated annual capacity of an initial plant. In September 2022, we entered into an MOU for a tolling agreement with a potential Canadian Customer for the entire capacity of our C-14 production facility. We are currently in discussions with potential customers that have interest in entering into long term supply agreements for kilogram quantities of Si-28 and larger quantities of Zn-68 and Cl-37.

Demonstrate the capability to produce high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) using the ASP technology and meet anticipated demand for the new generation of HALEU-fueled small modular reactors and advanced reactor designs that are now under development for commercial and government uses.

We plan to begin research and development for the enrichment of uranium to demonstrate our capability to produce HALEU using the ASP technology. We anticipate a future demand for HALEU for the new generation of HALEU-fueled small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced reactor designs that are now under development for commercial and government uses. SMRs are viewed as being cheaper, safer, and more versatile than traditional large scale nuclear reactors and development of the new technology is receiving considerable funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as from the governments of other countries. There is currently no commercial production of HALEU in the United States and there has been a reliance on delivery from other countries, particularly Russia. We are currently conducting a feasibility study with respect to constructing an enrichment facility in either the United States or an international location. We would need to obtain approval of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to produce HALEU in a U.S.-based facility.

Our Strengths

ASP technology developed by Klydon.

The aerodynamic separation technique has its origins in the South African uranium enrichment program in the 1980s and the ASP technology has been developed during the last 18 years by the scientists at Klydon. To date, the scientists at Klydon have constructed two ASP plants for the enrichment of oxygen-18 and silicon-28 in Pretoria, South Africa, which were commissioned in October 2015 and July 2018, respectively. While the technology has not yet been used to enrich either Molybdenum or Uranium or heavier isotopes, we believe the success of the enrichment process for oxygen-18 and silicon-28 has demonstrated the efficacy and commercial scalability of the ASP technology from laboratory to commercial. We have exclusive worldwide licenses from Klydon for the production of all isotopes and, if our research and development is successful (and subject to obtaining applicable regulatory approvals and appropriate licenses), we plan to commercialize many different isotopes produced using the ASP technology. To date, we have completed the construction of one isotope enrichment facility, but we have not yet produced any commercial quantities of isotopes and we have not yet demonstrated the ability to produce any isotope in commercial quantities using ASP technology.

High barriers to entry.

We have exclusive worldwide licenses to the ASP technology for the production of all isotopes. Klydon has spent the last 18 years and tens of millions of dollars developing the aerodynamic separation technique used in the ASP technology, generating critical trade secrets. We believe our competitors lag behind us in terms of the technical expertise of our senior management and the know-how contained in the aerodynamic separation technique, and will be unable to replicate the expected results of the ASP technology, even as we expect to continue to improve the existing technology and processes. Additionally, the high capital costs of development of proprietary technologies, significant lead times required to construct new enrichment facilities, as well as stringent regulatory and operating requirements applicable to enrichment facilities, adds to the significant barriers to entry for smaller competing market participants.

ASP technology is a flexible platform with the potential to produce many different isotopes that could serve a large addressable markets.

ASP technology is a flexible platform, compact in size and weight, and easily scaled to industrial level with number of separation devices added in parallel. The ASP technology also has few moving parts, with low capital and operating costs in comparison to alternatives. The technology is particularly efficient at enriching isotopes of low atomic mass. We believe that, assuming receipt of required regulatory approvals and governmental permits, the ASP technology can be deployed quickly and with a relatively minimal capital cost, to enrich many different isotopes that we believe consumers require both today and in the future in end markets such as healthcare, technology and energy. We also believe that the ASP technology is well-positioned to address a substantial global HALEU market that is contemplating a transition from petroleum-based energy to energy produced in a new generation of HALEU-fuelled SMRs and advanced reactors.

ASP technology is designed to be low cost, low energy, and environmentally friendly.

We recently completed the construction of our first isotope enrichment facility using SP technology located in Pretoria, South Africa. The ASP technology is designed to be scalable, low cost, low energy, and environmentally friendly, with no radioactive waste or hazardous materials produced in the process and planned arrangements to reuse chemical by-products.

Experienced team

Our board of directors and advisers have specialized expertise in isotopes enrichment, R&D, technology, plant development and manufacturing. Dr Einar Ronander, who serves as Chief Scientific Adviser to our board of directors, and Dr Hendrik Strydom, one of our directors, previously co-founded Klydon. The scientific team at Klydon combined has decades of experience in research and development of isotopes enrichment and amassed deep knowledge in the field.

Our board of directors and our management team also has broad experience and successful track records in biopharmaceutical research, chemicals, manufacturing and commercialization, as well as in business, operations, and finance. Our board of directors’ and management team’s experience was gained at leading companies and financial institutions that include, Barclays Capital, Bear Stearns, Deutsche Bank, Highbridge Capital, Investec Bank, Lehman Brothers, LyondellBasell, Morgan Stanley and Soros Fund Management.

Technical Background

What are Isotopes?

Isotopes are two or more types of atoms that have the same atomic number (number of protons in their nuclei) and position in the periodic table (and hence belong to the same chemical element), and that differ in nucleon numbers (mass numbers) due to different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei. While all isotopes of a given element have almost the same chemical properties, they have different atomic masses and physical properties.

The number of protons within the atom’s nucleus is called atomic number and is equal to the number of electrons in the neutral (non-ionized) atom. Each atomic number identifies a specific element, but not the isotope; an atom of a given element may have a wide range in its number of neutrons. The number of nucleons (both protons and neutrons) in the nucleus is the atom’s mass number, and each isotope of a given element has a different mass number. For example, carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14 are three isotopes of the element carbon with mass numbers 12, 13, and 14, respectively. The atomic number of carbon is 6, which means that every carbon atom has 6 protons so that the neutron numbers of these isotopes are 6, 7, and 8 respectively.

There are 23 isotopes of Silicon, all of which have 14 protons and 14 neutrons but have between 8 and 30 neutrons. The table below shows a selection of those isotopes. Three isotopes are stable which have mass numbers of 28, 29 and 30 which have 14, 15 and 16 neutrons respectively. The other 20 isotopes are radioactive and decay with short half lives and are therefore do not typically exist in naturally occurring silicon. In naturally occurring silicon, the isotope with atomic mass of 28 is usually the most abundant, typically accounting for approximately 92.22% of the material. The isotope with atomic mass of 29 typically accounts for 4.69% of the material and the isotope with atomic mass of 30 typically accounts for 3.09% of the material.

Molybdenum has 33 known isotopes, ranging in atomic mass from 83 to 115, as well as four metastable nuclear isomers. Seven isotopes occur naturally, with atomic masses of 92, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, and 100. All unstable isotopes of molybdenum decay into isotopes of zirconium, niobium, technetium, and ruthenium.

Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive element that has no stable isotope. It has two primordial isotopes, uranium-238 and uranium-235, which have long half-lives and are found in appreciable quantity in the Earth’s crust. The decay product, uranium-234 is also found. Other isotopes such as uranium-233 have been produced in breeder reactors. In addition to isotopes found in nature or nuclear reactors, many isotopes with far shorter half-lives have been produced, ranging from U-214 to U-242 (with the exception of U-220 and U-241). The standard atomic weight of natural uranium is 238.02891 with 99.27% of naturally occurring uranium being the isotope with an atomic mass of 238.051.

Selected isotopes of Silicon

Selected isotopes of Molybdenum

Selected isotopes of Uranium

Nuclide

Protons

Neutrons

Isotopic Mass

Half

Life

Natural abundance

Nuclide

Protons

Neutrons

Isotopic Mass

Half

Life

Natural abundance

Nuclide

Protons

Neutrons

Isotoopic

Mass

Half

Life

Natural

abundance

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