Amman - The SNC-Lavalin Group of Canada has recommended the extraction of uranium from phosphate ores in Jordan to fuel the nuclear reactors the country plans to set up, Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) President Khaled Toukan said Monday.

"The feasibility study conducted by SNC-Lavalin has come up with very positive results as to Jordan's potential to produce uranium from phosphate ores," Toukan said.

Toukan made the remarks after a meeting in Amman between Prime Minister Nader Dahabi and a delegation representing the SNC-Lavalin group and nuclear technology company Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL).

"The SNC-Lavalin group will submit its final results to the JAEC and the Jordan Phosphates Mines Co. in mid-April, when immediate steps will be taken to produce uranium," Toukan said.

He expected the uranium quantities to be produced from phosphate ores to be "sufficient to meet Jordan's requirements for building a 4,000-megawatt nuclear plant." "This means that Jordan will be locally self-sufficient in terms of uranium," he said.

Jordan and Canada initialed a nuclear cooperation agreement with last year and the two countries signed the accord last month. (dpa)