Jan 31 2006
International Isotopes Inc. has announced the successful start of high purity germanium tetrafluoride gas production operations. INIS successfully produced germanium tetrafluoride (GeF4) at their newly completed state-of-the-art production facility in Idaho Falls, Idaho using the Fluorine Extraction Process (FEP).
Steve T. Laflin, President and CEO of the Company, said, "The first germanium tetrafluoride production run was completed on January 23. This is our first demonstration of the FEP fluoride gas production process and the first time anyone has produced germanium tetrafluoride in this manner outside of a research laboratory. Although the scale of this initial production run has been limited for testing purposes, it is still significant because it confirms the technical viability of the FEP patent technology acquired by the Company in 2004, and demonstrates the commercial applicability of the production facility."
FEP is a patented process that allows fluorine to be extracted from depleted uranium tetrafluoride (UF4) and react with metal oxides to form ultra high purity fluoride gases such as GeF4, BF3, SiF4, to name a few. These gases are ideally suited to specialty applications in the semiconductor industry where ultra high purity gases are required. There are several unique aspects of the FEP process. The raw material input, depleted UF4, is generally considered as a waste material. After the ultra high purity fluoride gas is produced, what remains is either pure depleted oxide UO2 or U3O8. The Company is currently evaluating different market opportunities for these end products as well as the ultra high purity fluoride gasses.
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