Uranium reserves are reserves of recoverable uranium, regardless of isotope, based on a set market price. The list given here is based on Uranium 2020: Resources, Production and Demand, a joint report by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency. [1]
Figures are given in metric tonnes. The reserves figures denote identified resources as of 1 January 2015, consisting of reasonably assured resources (RAR) plus inferred resources recoverable at a cost range of below US$260/kg U. The list also includes cumulative historical production figures.
The amount of ultimately recoverable uranium depends strongly on what one would be willing to pay for it. Uranium is a widely distributed metal with large low-grade deposits that are not currently considered profitable. As of 2015, 646,900 tonnes of reserves are recoverable at US$40 per kilogram of uranium, while 7,641,600 tonnes of reserves are recoverable at $260 per kilogram. [2] Moreover, much of Canada, Greenland, Siberia and Antarctica are currently unexplored due to permafrost and may hold substantial undiscovered reserves. Australia is estimated to have the largest reserves, followed by Kazakhstan, Canada and Russia.
Country | Continent | Reserves as of 2019 (tonnes) | Historical Production to 2014 |
---|---|---|---|
Algeria | Africa | 19,500 | 0 |
Argentina | South America | 39,800 | 2,582 |
Australia | Australia | 2,049,400 | 194,646 |
Belgium | Europe | 0 | 686 |
Botswana | Africa | 87,200 | 0 |
Brazil | South America | 276,800 | 4,172 |
Bulgaria | Europe | 0 | 16,364 |
Canada | North America | 873,000 | 483,957 |
Central African Republic | Africa | 32,000 | 0 |
Chad | Africa | 2,400 | 0 |
Chile | South America | 1,400 | 0 |
China | Asia | 269,700 | 39,849 [3] [4] |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Africa | 2,700 | 25,600 [3] |
Czech Republic | Europe | 119,200 | 111,765 [3] |
Egypt | Africa | 1,900 | 0 |
Finland | Europe | 1,200 | 30 |
France | Europe | 0 | 76,006 |
Gabon | Africa | 5,800 | 25,403 |
Germany | Europe | 7,000 | 219,686 |
Greece | Europe | 7,000 | 0 |
Denmark ( Greenland) | North America | 114,000 | 0 |
Hungary | Europe | 13,500 | 21,067 |
India | Asia | 325,000 [5] | 3000 |
Indonesia | Asia | 8,400 | 0 |
Iran | Asia | 7,500 | 0 |
Italy | Europe | 6,100 | 0 |
Japan | Asia | 6,600 | 84 |
Jordan | Asia | 52,500 | 0 |
Kazakhstan | Asia | 969,200 | 244,707 |
Madagascar | Africa | 0 | 785 |
Malawi | Africa | 14,300 | 4,217 |
Mali | Africa | 8,900 | 0 |
Mauritania | Africa | 24,500 | 0 |
Mexico | North America | 5,000 | 49 |
Mongolia | Asia | 143,500 | 535 |
Namibia | Africa | 504,200 | 120,418 |
Niger | Africa | 439,400 | 132,017 |
Pakistan | Asia | 0 | 1,439 [3] |
Paraguay | South America | 3,600 | |
Peru | South America | 33,400 | 0 |
Poland | Europe | 0 | 650 |
Portugal | Europe | 7,000 | 3,720 |
Romania | Europe | 6,600 | 18,899 [3] |
Russia | Asia/Europe | 661,900 | 158,844 |
Senegal | Africa | 1,100 | |
Slovakia | Europe | 15,500 | 211 |
Slovenia | Europe | 9,200 | 382 |
Somalia | Africa | 7,600 | 0 |
South Africa | Africa | 447,700 | 159,510 |
Spain | Europe | 28,500 | 8,028 |
Sweden | Europe | 9,600 | 200 |
Tanzania | Africa | 58,200 | 0 |
Turkey | Asia/Europe | 13,600 | 0 |
Ukraine | Europe | 186,900 | 129,804 |
United States | North America | 101,900 | 373,075 |
Uzbekistan | Asia | 132,300 | 127,591 [3] |
Vietnam | Asia | 3,900 | 0 |
Zambia | Africa | 31,000 | 86 |
Zimbabwe | Africa | 1,400 | 0 |
Total | 8,070,400 | 2,818,415 |
Notes: Historical production for the Czech Republic includes 102,241 tonnes of uranium produced in former Czechoslovakia from 1946 through the end of 1992. Historical production for Germany includes 213,380 tonnes produced in the German Democratic Republic from 1946 through the end of 1992. Historical production for the Soviet Union includes the former Soviet Socialist Republics of Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, but excludes Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Historical production for the Russian Federation and Uzbekistan is since 1992 only.
The economy of Kyrgyzstan is heavily dependent on the agricultural sector. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported in any quantity. According to Healy Consultants, Kyrgyzstan's economy relies heavily on the strength of industrial exports, with plentiful reserves of gold, mercury and uranium. The economy also relies heavily on remittances from foreign workers. Following independence, Kyrgyzstan was progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an improved regulatory system and land reform. In 1998, Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Kyrgyzstan's economic performance has been hindered by widespread corruption, low foreign investment and general regional instability. Despite those issues, Kyrgyzstan is ranked 70th on the ease of doing business index.
Uranium is a chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium radioactively decays, usually by emitting an alpha particle. The half-life of this decay varies between 159,200 and 4.5 billion years for different isotopes, making them useful for dating the age of the Earth. The most common isotopes in natural uranium are uranium-238 and uranium-235. Uranium has the highest atomic weight of the primordially occurring elements. Its density is about 70% higher than that of lead and slightly lower than that of gold or tungsten. It occurs naturally in low concentrations of a few parts per million in soil, rock and water, and is commercially extracted from uranium-bearing minerals such as uraninite.
Shinkolobwe, or Kasolo, or Chinkolobew, or Shainkolobwe, was a radium and uranium mine in the Haut-Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), located 20 km (12.4 mi) west of Likasi, 20 km (12.4 mi) south of Kambove, and about 145 km (90.1 mi) northwest of Lubumbashi.
The uranium market, like all commodity markets, has a history of volatility, moving with the standard forces of supply and demand as well as geopolitical pressures. It has also evolved particularities of its own in response to the unique nature and use of uranium.
Uranium mining is the process of extraction of uranium ore from the ground. Over 50,000 tons of uranium were produced in 2019. Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia were the top three uranium producers, respectively, and together account for 68% of world production. Other countries producing more than 1,000 tons per year included Namibia, Niger, Russia, Uzbekistan and China. Nearly all of the world's mined uranium is used to power nuclear power plants. Historically uranium was also used in applications such as uranium glass or ferrouranium but those applications have declined due to the radioactivity and toxicity of uranium and are nowadays mostly supplied with a plentiful cheap supply of depleted uranium which is also used in uranium ammunition. In addition to being cheaper, depleted uranium is also less radioactive due to a lower content of short-lived 234
U and 235
U than natural uranium.
Krasnokamensk is a town and the administrative center of Krasnokamensky District in Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia, located near the Sino-Russian border, 535 kilometers (332 mi) southeast of Chita, the administrative center of the krai. It is best known as the site for Russia's largest uranium mine. Population: 55,666 (2010 Census); 55,920 (2002 Census); 66,872 (1989 Soviet census).
National Atomic Company Kazatomprom Joint Stock Company (Kazatomprom) (Kazakh: Қазатомөнеркәсіп, romanized: Qazatomónerkásip) is the world’s largest producer and seller of natural uranium, providing over 40% of global primary uranium supply in 2019 from its operations in Kazakhstan. Kazatomprom's uranium is used for the generation of nuclear power around the world.
Nuclear power is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India after coal, hydro, solar and wind. As of November 2023, India has 23 nuclear reactors in operation in 8 nuclear power plants, with a total installed capacity of 8,180 MW. Nuclear power produced a total of 48 TWh in 2023, contributing around 3% of total power generation in India. 11 more reactors are under construction with a combined generation capacity of 8,700 MW.
Energy in Kazakhstan describes energy and electricity production, consumption and import in Kazakhstan and the politics of Kazakhstan related to energy.
India–Kazakhstan relations, also referred to as the Indo-Kazakhstani relations, are the bilateral relations between the Republic of India and the Republic of Kazakhstan. Diplomatic relations have increased in significance in the 21st century after initially remaining passive in the 1990s. Both nations seek to develop an extensive commercial and strategic partnership in the Central Asia region.
Atomredmetzoloto, JSC,, the Mining Division of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation, is a Russian uranium producer internally ranked sixth in the world in terms of uranium production and second in terms of in-situ uranium reserves.
Radioactive ores were first extracted in South Australia at Radium Hill in 1906 and Mount Painter in 1911. 2,000 tons of ore were treated to recover radium for medical use. Several hundred kilograms of uranium were also produced for use in ceramic glazes.
Namibia has one of the richest uranium mineral reserves in the world. There are currently two large operating mines in the Erongo Region and various exploration projects planned to advance to production in the next few years.
The world's largest producer of uranium is Kazakhstan, which in 2019 produced 43% of the world's mining output. Canada was the next largest producer with a 13% share, followed by Australia with 12%. Uranium has been mined in every continent except Antarctica.
SOMAIR is a national mining company of Niger in the mining area of its northern zone. Established in 1968, it started uranium mining at the Arlit deposit in 1971, mining 0.30 - 0.35% ore down to depth of 60 metres (200 ft) depth. By 1981, the company was producing 2100 tU/yr and by 2006 it was producing 1565 tU at the Tamou deposit. The production peaked to 3065 tU in 2012. The resources, according to the Red Book, are assessed at 23,170 tU, as of 2010, at 42,200 tU of 0.25%U grade recoverable conventionally, and 5500 tU of 0.07%U grade from heap leaching. SOMAIR is one of two national mining companies in Niger, the other being COMINAK in the nearby Akokan.
COMINAK is a national uranium mining company of Niger.
Thorium is found in small amounts in most rocks and soils. Soil commonly contains an average of around 6 parts per million (ppm) of thorium. Thorium occurs in several minerals including thorite (ThSiO4), thorianite (ThO2 + UO2) and monazite. Thorianite is a rare mineral and may contain up to about 12% thorium oxide. Monazite contains 2.5% thorium, allanite has 0.1 to 2% thorium and zircon can have up to 0.4% thorium. Thorium-containing minerals occur on all continents. Thorium is several times more abundant in Earth's crust than all isotopes of uranium combined and thorium-232 is several hundred times more abundant than uranium-235.
The Republic of Kazakhstan, once a republic of the Soviet Union, was a primary venue for Soviet nuclear weapon testing from 1949 until 1989. Following the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1991, Kazakhstan became the fourth-largest nuclear power in the world and hosted a considerably large weapon support infrastructure due to its reliance on the Soviet nuclear program as a means to develop its own local economy. Besides the nuclear program, Kazakhstan was also a prominent site of Soviet programs of biological and chemical weapons.