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Uranium mining is the process of extraction of uranium ore from the ground. Over 50 thousand 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, the United States, 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 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.
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.
Energy in Kazakhstan describes energy and electricity production, consumption and import in Kazakhstan and the politics of Kazakhstan related to energy.
According to the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA), Pakistan may have over 9 billion barrels (1.4×109 cubic metres) of petroleum oil and 105 trillion cubic feet (3.0 trillion cubic metres) in natural gas (including shale gas) reserves.
Uranium One is an international group of companies, part of the management circuit of the TENEX Group of Rosatom State Corporation. Since 2013, it is a wholly owned subsidiary of Moscow-based Uranium One Group, a part of the Russian state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom.
The mineral industry of Kazakhstan is one of the most competitive and fastest growing sectors of the country. Kazakhstan ranks second to Russia among the countries of the CIS in its quantity of mineral production. It is endowed with large reserves of a wide range of metallic ores, industrial minerals, and fuels, and its metallurgical sector is a major producer of a large number of metals from domestic and imported raw materials. In 2005, its metal mining sector produced bauxite, chromite, copper, iron, lead, manganese, and zinc ores, and its metallurgical sector produced such metals as beryllium, bismuth, cadmium, copper, ferroalloys, lead, magnesium, rhenium, steel, titanium, and zinc. The country produced significant amounts of other nonferrous and industrial mineral products, such as alumina, arsenic, barite, gold, molybdenum, phosphate rock, and tungsten. The country was a large producer of mineral fuels, including coal, natural gas, oil, and uranium. The country's economy is heavily dependent on the production of minerals. Output from Kazakhstan's mineral and natural resources sector for 2004 accounted for 74.1% of the value of industrial production, of which 43.1% came from the oil and gas condensate extraction. In 2004, the mineral extraction sector accounted for 32% of the GDP, employed 191,000 employees, and accounted for 33.1% of capital investment and 64.5% of direct foreign investment, of which 63.5% was in the oil sector. Kazakhstan's mining industry is estimated at US$29.5 billion by 2017.
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.
Inkai is a uranium mine located in Kazakhstan. Commercial production commenced in 2009, with the main processing plant being commissioned in 2010.
The Tummalapalle Mine is a uranium mine in Tumalapalli village located in Kadapa of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Results from research conducted by the Atomic Energy Commission of India, in 2011, led the analysts to conclude that this mine might have one of the largest reserves of uranium in the world.
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.
Uranium mining in Kazakhstan is of considerable importance to the national economy. By 2011, Kazakhstan was considered to be the world's largest producer of uranium.
The Akdala mine is a large in-situ leaching mine located in the southern part of Kazakhstan in Almaty Province. Akdala represents one of the largest uranium reserves in Kazakhstan having estimated reserves of 43.5 million tonnes of ore grading 0.036% uranium.
The Karatau mine is a large in-situ leaching mine located in the southern part of Kazakhstan in South Kazakhstan Province. Karatau represents one of the largest uranium reserves in Kazakhstan having estimated reserves of 70.4 million tonnes of ore grading 0.05% uranium.
The Akbastau mine is a large in-situ leaching mine located in the southern part of Kazakhstan in South Kazakhstan Province. Akbastau represents one of the largest uranium reserves in Kazakhstan having estimated reserves of 66 million tonnes of ore grading 0.077% uranium.
The Zarechnoye mine is a large in-situ leaching mine located in the southern part of Kazakhstan in South Kazakhstan Region. Zarechnoye represents one of the largest uranium reserves in Kazakhstan having estimated reserves of 90 million tonnes of ore grading 0.036% uranium.
The Kharasan mine is a large in-situ leaching mine located in the southern part of Kazakhstan in South Kazakhstan Region. Kharasan represents one of the largest uranium reserves in Kazakhstan having estimated reserves of 59.3 million tonnes of ore grading 0.074% uranium.
The A238 mine is a large open pit mine located in the western part of Mauritania. A238 represents one of the largest uranium reserves in Mauritania having estimated reserves of 45 million tonnes of ore grading 0.02% uranium.
The Husab Mine, operated under the Husab Uranium Project, is a uranium mine near the town of Swakopmund in the Erongo region of western-central Namibia. The mine is located approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of the larger Rössing uranium mine and 45 kilometres (28 mi) from Walvis Bay. Swakop Uranium believes the Husab Mine has the potential to become the second largest uranium mine in the world after the McArthur River uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan, Canada and the largest open-pit mine on the African continent. Mine construction started in February 2013. The Husab Mine started production towards the end of 2016 after completion of the sulfuric acid leaching plant.
The Moiynkum Desert, is a desert in the Turkistan and Zhambyl regions of southern Kazakhstan.
References
- ↑ "South Inkai Mine". uranium1.com. 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-25.
