List of countries by uranium reserves

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World uranium reserves in 2010 Uranium Reserves.png
World uranium reserves in 2010

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.

CountryContinentReserves as of 2019 (tonnes)Historical production to 2014
Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria Africa19,5000
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina South America39,8002,582
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australia2,049,400194,646
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Europe0686
Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana Africa87,2000
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil South America276,8004,172
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Europe016,364
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada North America873,000483,957
Flag of the Central African Republic.svg  Central African Republic Africa32,0000
Flag of Chad.svg  Chad Africa2,4000
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile South America1,4000
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Asia269,70039,849 [3] [4]
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  Democratic Republic of the Congo Africa2,70025,600 [3]
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic Europe119,200111,765 [3]
Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt Africa1,9000
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Europe1,20030
Flag of France.svg  France Europe076,006
Flag of Gabon.svg  Gabon Africa5,80025,403
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Europe7,000219,686
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece Europe7,0000
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark (Flag of Greenland.svg  Greenland)North America114,0000
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary Europe13,50021,067
Flag of India.svg  India Asia325,000 [5] 3000
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia Asia8,4000
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran Asia7,5000
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Europe6,1000
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Asia6,60084
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan Asia52,5000
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan Asia969,200244,707
Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar Africa0785
Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi Africa14,3004,217
Flag of Mali.svg  Mali Africa8,9000
Flag of Mauritania.svg  Mauritania Africa24,5000
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico North America5,00049
Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Asia143,500535
Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia Africa504,200120,418
Flag of Niger.svg  Niger Africa439,400132,017
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan Asia01,439 [3]
Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay South America3,600
Flag of Peru.svg  Peru South America33,4000
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Europe144,000 [6] 650
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal Europe7,0003,720
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania Europe6,60018,899 [3]
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia Asia/Europe661,900158,844
Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal Africa1,100
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia Europe15,500211
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia Europe9,200382
Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia Africa7,6000
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Africa447,700159,510
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Europe28,5008,028
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Europe9,600200
Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania Africa58,2000
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey Asia/Europe13,6000
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Europe186,900129,804
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States North America101,900373,075
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan Asia132,300127,591 [3]
Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam Asia3,9000
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia Africa31,00086
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe Africa1,4000
Total8,070,4002,818,415

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.

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-renewable resource</span> Class of natural resources

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uranium market</span> Commodity market

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uranium mining</span> Process of extraction of uranium ore from the ground

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U
and 235
U
than natural uranium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kazatomprom</span> Uranium producer

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uranium mining in the United States</span> Uranium mining industry in U.S.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">ARMZ Uranium Holding</span>

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References

  1. Uranium 2020: Resources, Production and Demand (PDF). OECD Publishing. 2020. doi:10.1787/d82388ab-en. ISBN   978-92-64-26844-9. S2CID   241721777.
  2. Uranium 2016: Resources, Production and Demand (PDF). OECD Publishing. 2016. doi:10.1787/uranium-2016-en. ISBN   978-92-64-26844-9.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 estimate
  4. "China's Nuclear Fuel Cycle - World Nuclear Association".
  5. "ATOMIC MINERALS DIRECTORATE FOR EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH (AMD)" (PDF).
  6. Strupczewski, Andrzej (2009). "Program rozwoju energetyki jądrowej w Polsce a zaopatrzenie w paliwa rozszczepialne z zasobów krajowych" [Nuclear power development program in Poland vs. supply of fissile fuels from domestic resources](PDF). Polityka Energetyczna (in Polish). 12 (2/2). Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences  [ pl ]: 565–575. ISSN   1429-6675. OCLC   68757889.