Science

Dallas startup Actinide enriches research-scale uranium using electromagnetic separator

The company announced it produced high-assay low-enriched uranium directly in solid form, bypassing conventional conversion bottlenecks.

Updated Aug 26, 2026 · 20:25 UTC1 reports

The short version

Dallas-based startup Actinide announced it successfully enriched natural uranium into high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) at a research scale.
The demonstration utilized a first-generation electromagnetic isotope separator, which produces solid material directly rather than requiring the deconversion steps involved in traditional gas centrifuge enrichment.
Actinide is constructing a second-generation machine aimed at scaling up isotope production, though the company has only demonstrated research-scale output to date.

Actinide produced research-quantity HALEU using a first-generation electromagnetic isotope separator, or calutron.[Hacker News]
An independent accredited laboratory assayed the produced uranium at 15.38% enrichment.[Hacker News]
The U.S. currently has no commercial capacity to deconvert uranium enriched via conventional gas centrifuges into solid form for reactor fuel.[Hacker News]
Actinide was founded in September 2025 by CTO Robert Mendelsohn and CEO Eric Olszewski.[Hacker News]

The output capabilities of Actinide's second-generation separator, named Fortitude, depend on internal company estimates and remain unverified in commercial operation.[Hacker News]