Syria possesses extensive phosphate rock reserves, estimated at 1,700 million tons, of which the country exploits about 3.5 million tons per year.[2] The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources oversees Syria's three operating phosphate mining sites at Charkiet, Sawwaneh, and Khneifiss.[3]

Syria explored a program to extract uranium from phosphate with IAEA assistance at the phosphoric acid pilot plant.[4] Although ostensibly for the civilian use of purifying phosphoric acid for use in fertilizers, the by-product of this process was uranium yellowcake.[5] In 2011, Syria acknowledged carrying out experiments with domestically separated uranium after the IAEA found processed natural uranium particles at the SRR-1 Miniature Neutron Source Reactor.[6]

Sources:
[1] "Arab Republic of Syria," The Middle East Annual Review 1975-6 (Essex, England: The Middle East Review Company Limited, 1975-1976), p. 259.
[2] Jamal Asfahani, "Phosphate Prospecting Using Natural Gamma Ray Well Logging in the Khneifiss Mine, Syria," Exploration and Mining Geology, Vol. 11, Nos. 1-4, 2002, p. 62.
[3] "Fertilizer International: Commercial Phosphate Rock from Syria," Chemical Business Newsbase, 9 August 2001, www.lexisnexis.com.
[4] "Uranium Recovery from Phosphoric Acid," Project Number SYR/3/003, IAEA-TC Project Datasheet, www-tc.iaea.org.
[5] IAEA, "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic," Report by the Director General to the Board of Governors, GOV/2011/30, 24 May 2011, www.iaea.org.
[6] IAEA, "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic," Report by the Director General to the Board of Governors, GOV/2011/30, 24 May 2011, www.iaea.org.