Large reserves of uranium ores have been explored in South Africa. World reserves of uranium

Moscow, October 25 - Vesti.Ekonomika. If you watch the news, you might be under the impression that uranium is only used to make atomic bombs and nuclear power plants.

However, uranium has many applications.

Unfortunately, the Fukushima accident and the situation around Iran have created a bad reputation for uranium.

However, this element is of great importance.

Below we will talk about 8 countries with the largest uranium reserves in the world.

1. Australia

Australia is the undisputed leader in uranium reserves in the world. According to the World Nuclear Association, about 31.18% of all world uranium reserves are located in this country, which in numerical terms means 661 thousand tons of uranium.

Australia has 19 uranium deposits. The largest and most famous are Olympic Dam, where about 3,000 tons of uranium are mined per year, Beaverley (mining 1,000 tons) and Honemun (900 tons per year). The cost of uranium mining in the country is $40 per 1 kg.

Australia's political and economic stability makes it an ideal location for many mining companies such as Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton Limited.

Uranium mining by Rio and BHP is carried out mainly in Australia, and it is these two companies that play a huge role in the global uranium market.

2. Kazakhstan

The second place in terms of uranium reserves belongs to Kazakhstan. The Asian country holds 11.81% of the world's fuel reserves, which is equal to 629 thousand tons of uranium.

There are 16 developed deposits in Kazakhstan, where a valuable resource is extracted.

The largest deposits of Korsan, South Inkai, Irkol, Kharasan, Western Mynkuduk and Budenovskoye are located in the Chusarai and Syrdarya uranium provinces.

Kazakhstan is a country rich in natural resources. It is noted that 22% of the country's total exports go to Russia and China.

Kazatomprom, a state-owned company, controls the country's uranium mining through a network of subsidiaries as well as joint ventures with foreign companies.

3. Russia

Russia ranks third in terms of uranium reserves. According to experts, there are 487,200 tons of uranium in its bowels, which is 9.15% of the world's uranium resources.

Despite the size of the country and large reserves of uranium, there are only 7 deposits in Russia, and almost all of them are located in Transbaikalia.

More than 90% of the uranium mined in the country comes from the Chita region.

This is the Streltsovskoye ore field, which includes more than ten deposits of uranium ore. largest center is the city of Krasnokamensk.

The remaining 5-8% of uranium in the country is located in Buryatia and the Kurgan region.

4. Canada

The leading place in terms of uranium ore reserves in North America, and the fourth in the world belongs to Canada.

The total uranium reserves in the country are 468,700 tons of uranium, which is 8.80% of the world's reserves.

Canada owns unique "unconformity" type deposits, the ores of which are rich and compact, the largest of which are MacArthur River and Cigar Lake.

The country is developing a uranium deposit called the Waterbury Project, which consists of several deposits and covers an area of ​​12,417 hectares.

Canada has had enormous advantages throughout its history due to its proximity to the United States.

The main uranium mining company in Canada is Cameco.

5. South Africa

In South Africa, uranium is mined as a by-product at gold deposits. The Dominion field is the largest open and underground way working off.

Large mines include Western Ariez, Palabora, Randfontein and Vaal River, where the "tails" of the gold mining industry are mainly worked out.

The average cost of uranium mining in an African country is $40 per 1 kg. In terms of uranium production, South Africa lags far behind the leading countries in this industry, producing 540 tons of uranium per year, which is the twelfth figure in the world.

According to some estimates, South Africa holds 6% of the world's uranium reserves.

However, other sources claim that stocks in South Africa are smaller than in Niger and Namibia.

The main problems in the country's economy are unemployment, high levels of poverty, and inequality.

The country is better known for mining gold, platinum and chromium than uranium.

There are two nuclear power plants in South Africa, but there are plans to build several more nuclear power plants.

Thus, South Africa could become a potentially large market for the use of uranium.

6. Niger

Uranium reserves are 5% of the world's. The largest deposits in the country are Imuraren, Madauela, Arlit and Azelit, in total there are 12 of them in the country.

The cost of mined uranium in Niger is $34-50 per 1 kg.

The main player in the country's uranium market is the French company Areva SA, which mines the Arlit deposit, one of the 10 largest uranium deposits in the world.

In addition, uranium is Niger's largest export.

According to Areva, uranium accounts for about 5% of the country's GDP.

At the same time, Niger is a rather poor country in terms of production natural resources dependent on foreign investment.

The material was prepared on the basis of information obtained from the page of Professor MSU Beckman. The given data is not the latest, but in general gives an idea of ​​the subject and is well structured.

Uranium ores are distributed throughout the world. Stockpiles and commercial transactions are expressed in equivalent masses of U3O8. Deposits of resin blende, the richest uranium ore, are located mainly in Canada, the Congo and the USA.

Uranium is mined in 25 countries of the world. In 2001, the share of countries and regions in the world production of uranium was distributed as follows: Canada - 30%, Australia - 22%, Africa - 19%, Uzbekistan - 7%, Russia - 6%, Kazakhstan - 5%, USA - 4%, Europe - 3%, others - 4%.
In 2005, 41,250 tons of uranium were mined (in 2003 - 35,492 tons). There were 440 commercial reactors operating in the world, which consume 67 thousand tons of uranium per year.

Ten countries responsible for 94% of the world's uranium production

Remark 1. Estimation of uranium reserves in different countries changes all the time due to exploration of new deposits and due to the development of old ones. In addition, the assessment of reserves available for development is changing (it is clear that at a uranium price of $20/kg, the number of deposits being developed will be much less than at a price of $200/kg). Not surprisingly, in 2006
reserves estimate gave somewhat different figures of explored resources (uranium dioxide, U3O8, thousand tons, shares of world reserves are given in parentheses): Australia 1.074 (0.3), Kazakhstan 622 (0.17), Canada 439 (0.12) , South Africa 298 (0.08), Namibia 213 (0.6), Russia 158 (0.04), Brazil 143 (0.04), USA 102 (0.03), Uzbekistan 93 (0.03). Total: 3,622. Russia has bypassed Brazil and ranks sixth in the world in terms of uranium reserves. In 2005, new data on Russia were published - uranium reserves of 615 thousand tons, which differs significantly from the IAEA registration - 150 thousand tons. It turns out that in terms of uranium reserves, Russia is in second place in the world!!? And if we take into account the predicted resources of Russia (830 thousand tons), then the Russian Federation is able to catch up with Australia!

Remark 2. The data on uranium reserves published in the open press are very contradictory. In the literature, one can find a different order of countries with the largest reserves of uranium dioxide (Fig.): Australia - USA - South Africa - Canada - Russia - Kazakhstan - Nigeria. Here Russia was in 5th place, overtaking Kazakhstan. It is strange that Nigeria is far ahead of Namibia (and there is no Nigeria at all! There is no Niger, one of the leaders in uranium ore reserves).
The contradiction is explained by the fact that in Fig. data are given on reliably explored resources of uranium, which can be extracted from ore at a cost of no more than $100/kg (total reserves of 3.3 billion kg in terms of U3O8).

Note 3. There are different criteria in the assessment of mineral reserves in a particular deposit. Discovered [revealed, established] resources, which are understood as the unexplored part of the total resources, calculated on the estimated productive areas within the uranium-ore regions with established favorable geological conditions

Resources [reserves] in the bowels, i.e. geological, common resources or reserves, excluding recovery factors and production losses. Additional least certain reserves are reserves equivalent to possible reserves (resources). Marked [calculated, estimated, estimated] additional reserves. Reserves of uranium in the known productive horizons of identified deposits, which can be additionally obtained in the case of the use of more advanced development methods, if these methods are not already used in these deposits. Recoverable uranium reserves less certain than those measured; estimated reserves of uranium. Reserves calculated partly based on the results of sampling and measurements in wells and other mine workings, partly - by extrapolation of geological data. Geological (in-soil) reserves The sum of the categories "measured", "indicated" (tentatively estimated) and "inferred" without taking into account economic restrictions
extracting these reserves. Inferred reserves are recoverable reserves estimated at insufficient
explored areas adjacent to areas with measured or marked (preliminarily estimated) reserves by analogy with the latter. Initial explored reserves - total mineral discovered at known deposits, representing the sum of current (remaining) reserves and cumulative production.

Since categories are usually not specified in publications, it is not surprising that there is a wide variation in the literature in estimating uranium reserves in different countries and in different deposits.
In addition to traditional uranium deposits, the assessment of world reserves also takes into account
uranium in phosphate deposits and stockpiled uranium reserves for nuclear power and the military
programs. As of January 1, 1994, the world reserves of uranium amounted to 4.4 million tons in traditional deposits, 22.6 million tons in phosphate deposits and 370 thousand tons and 445 thousand tons of stockpiled stocks of civil and military use. In addition, uranium resources include uranium contained in
sea ​​water (40 billion tons) and the earth's crust (1.5 tons). However, many deposits are not developed due to too high extraction costs at a low price of uranium in the world market.
Comment. It must be borne in mind that recoverable reserves average only 60% of the reliably estimated ones.

Uranium mining (tonnes) in some countries in 2005

Canada 11410
Australia 9044
Kazakhstan 4020
Russia 3570
US 1249
Ukraine 920
China 920

More detailed information is presented (including by country) on the website -

http://profbeckman.narod.ru/RH0.files/21_2.pdf

Around the world, uranium is the main resource for the operation of nuclear power plants. deposits uranium ores not distributed evenly across the globe. To date, only 28 countries of the world extract valuable raw materials in their bowels. The main world reserves of uranium in the world are located in 8 countries. We will tell you a little more about the countries with the largest uranium reserves.

8. China

China has approximately 5% of the world's uranium reserves. At the same time, various sources estimate reserves differently: some indicate that China's reserves are slightly higher than in Namibia and Niger, some put China only in eighth place in terms of reserves.

The country has about 20 nuclear power plants under construction.

7. Namibia

Uranium reserves in the country amount to 261 thousand tons. There are four major uranium deposits in Namibia. It is believed that the reserves of Namibia account for 5% of the world's total.

The economy of Namibia, as in the case of Niger, is rather poor, but it is more diversified than in Niger. The country exports diamonds, copper, gold, zinc as well as uranium. Overall, mining accounts for 11.5% of GDP.

6. Niger

Uranium reserves are 5% of the world's. The largest deposits in the country are Imuraren, Madauela, Arlit and Azelit, in total there are 12 of them in the country. The cost of mined uranium in Niger is $34-50 per 1 kg.

The main player in the country's uranium market is the French company Areva SA, which mines the Arlit deposit, one of the 10 largest uranium deposits in the world.
In addition, uranium is Niger's largest export. According to Areva, uranium accounts for about 5% of the country's GDP.

At the same time, Niger is a rather poor country and depends on foreign investment for the extraction of natural resources.

5. South Africa

South Africa uranium is mined incidentally from gold deposits. The Dominion deposit is the largest open pit and underground mine in the country.

Large mines include Western Ariez, Palabora, Randfontein and Waal River, where the tailings of the gold mining industry are mainly worked out. The average cost of uranium mining in an African country is $40 per 1 kg. In terms of uranium production, South Africa lags far behind the leading countries in this industry, producing 540 tons of uranium per year, which is the twelfth figure in the world.

According to some estimates, South Africa holds 6% of the world's uranium reserves. However, other sources claim that stocks in South Africa are smaller than in Niger and Namibia.

The main problems in the country's economy are unemployment, high levels of poverty, and inequality. The country is better known for mining gold, platinum and chromium than uranium.
There are two nuclear power plants in South Africa, but there are plans to build several more nuclear power plants. Thus, South Africa could become a potentially large market for the use of uranium.

4. Canada

The leading place in terms of uranium ore reserves in North America, and the fourth in the world belongs to Canada. The total uranium reserves in the country are 468,700 tons of uranium, which is 8.80% of the world's reserves. Canada owns unique "unconformity" type deposits, the ores of which are rich and compact, the largest of which are MacArthur River and Cigar Lake. The country is developing a uranium deposit called the Waterbury Project, which consists of several deposits and covers an area of ​​12,417 hectares.

Canada has had enormous advantages throughout its history due to its proximity to the United States. The main uranium mining company in Canada is Cameco.

3. Russia

Russia ranks third in terms of uranium reserves. According to experts, there are 487,200 tons of uranium in its bowels, which is 9.15% of the world's uranium resources.

Despite the size of the country and large reserves of uranium, there are only 7 deposits in Russia, and almost all of them are located in Transbaikalia. More than 90% of the uranium mined in the country comes from the Chita region. This is the Streltsovskoye ore field, which includes more than ten deposits of uranium ore. The largest center is the city of Krasnokamensk. The remaining 5-8% of uranium in the country is located in Buryatia and the Kurgan region.

2. Kazakhstan

The second place in terms of uranium reserves belongs to Kazakhstan. The Asian country holds 11.81% of the world's fuel reserves, which is equal to 629 thousand tons of uranium.

There are 16 developed deposits in Kazakhstan, where a valuable resource is extracted. The largest deposits of Korsan, South Inkai, Irkol, Kharasan, Western Mynkuduk and Budenovskoye are located in the Chusarai and Syrdarya uranium provinces.

Kazakhstan is a country rich in natural resources. It is noted that 22% of the country's total exports go to Russia and China.

1. Australia

Australia is the undisputed leader in uranium reserves in the world. According to the World Nuclear Association, about 31.18% of all world uranium reserves are located in this country, which in numerical terms means 661 thousand tons of uranium.

Australia has 19 uranium deposits. The largest and most famous are Olympic Dam, where about 3 thousand tons of uranium are mined per year, Beaverley (mining 1 thousand tons) and Honemun (900 tons per year). The cost of uranium mining in the country is $40 per 1 kg.

Australia's political and economic stability makes it an ideal location for many mining companies such as Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton Limited.

Uranium mining by Rio and BHP is carried out mainly in Australia, and it is these two companies that play a huge role in the global uranium market.

It should be noted that today Ukraine produces about 1000 tons of uranium concentrate per year. Since the beginning of the century, the level of provision with own concentrate has increased from 32 to only 40%. The rest (up to 1.5 thousand tons) is bought annually from Russian, European and Kazakh suppliers.

There is a company called Uranium One, which owns the largest uranium deposits in Kazakhstan, Africa, Australia and the USA. The company accounts for up to 30% of world uranium production. But few people know that Uranium One, once founded as a Canadian-South African consortium, is now 100% owned by Rosatom.

The most severe struggle for control over mines and deposits of uranium is continuously going on in the world. This is a strategic issue. The one who holds the sources of uranium in his hands not only holds the entire world nuclear power, but it can also influence the market for nuclear weapons.

In the USSR, in the territories of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine, system work for prospecting and exploration of uranium deposits. Mining and chemical plants were created, which mined uranium in mines and mines. The mined uranium was sent to the military area, to provide fuel for nuclear power plants and to strategic reserves. But in the early 90s, everything broke down.

"Free market" uranium is a myth

Probably, lovers of the liberal economic model believe that there is a “free market” for uranium in the world, by analogy with other “free markets”. But this is far from true. When it comes to strategic resources, serious players do not rely on the “invisible hand of the market”, preferring more reliable methods of control. A very clear example here is France, where 75% of electricity is generated by nuclear power plants.

French reactors need to be provided with fuel. In addition, the energy giants of this country - EDF and Areva - are active in the field of global nuclear energy and sell nuclear fuel to their partners. Security French companies uranium is achieved mainly at the expense of Central Africa. There are both active mines and as yet undeveloped uranium deposits, which are dominated by French companies.

But this "dominate" did not fall from the sky. In fact, France has to keep its great influence in the region by any means. Maintain cultural ties established back in colonial times, manage political processes, finance infrastructure projects, create and equip their armies, and even directly participate in armed conflicts of various nature. Because there are a lot of people who want to take control of uranium mines and deposits from the French. These are Islamists, Tuareg, various local tribes and the ubiquitous Chinese. And the companies of France's main ally, the United States, will gladly push the French out of uranium mining in the region. Therefore, at least 5.5 thousand French troops are now in the countries of Central Africa on a permanent basis. Having spent great efforts and through direct military intervention, France was able to stop the war in Mali in 2013. Since 2012, the French have held back the escalation of the war in the Central African Republic. In both religious and interethnic conflicts, the “uranium component” is also clearly visible. And uranium mines also need to be protected from terrorist attacks and suffer losses where they could not be prevented.

There are two interesting questions about the method of supplying uranium to French nuclear power plants. What is the real cost of Central African uranium for France? It is very, very large, if we count all the costs France has to maintain the status quo in the region.

And what about Germany and Japan, which do not have their own uranium "central Africans"? The answer to the question of the governments of these countries has already been given - to “completely curtail” nuclear energy. That is, the German and Japanese programs to stop the construction of new and stop existing nuclear power plants are primarily due to the lack of guarantees for their fuel supply in the future. And the protests of the “greens” (Germany) and the accident at Fukushima (Japan) are reasons, but not reasons.

But it seems that the French understand that they will not be able to keep the uranium mines in Central Africa indefinitely. Therefore, they are already considering a bill providing for a reduction in the share of electricity generated at nuclear power plants from 75% to 50%.

A quiet but fierce struggle for control over the mines and deposits of uranium is constantly going on in the world. "Control" has one feature. The life cycle of nuclear power plants is approaching 100 years. And already at the stage of planning the construction of the next nuclear reactor, the issue of providing it with fuel must be resolved. Decided for the future in decades. That is, over the mines and deposits of uranium, control must be guaranteed for decades.

Kazakhstan is the main resource in the uranium market

In the USSR, the territory of Kazakhstan was considered as a reserve for the development of uranium mining in the future. Its deposits have been explored, their reserves have been estimated. This was the basis for the rapid development of uranium mining in independent Kazakhstan. To date, 129 deposits and ore occurrences have been explored and studied here. In total, uranium reserves and resources in Kazakhstan amount to about 1.7 million tons (12% of world reserves and resources). Its extraction is carried out at 20 mines. All are located in sandstone deposits.

Kazakhstan is the leading producer of uranium in the world. The share of uranium mined on its territory from world production was: 2009 - 28%; 2010 - 33%; 2011 - 36%; 2012 - 36.5%; 2013 - 38%. In total, 20.9 thousand tons were produced in 2012, and 22.5 thousand tons in 2013 (an increase of 7.7%). In 2014, it is planned to produce 24.0 thousand tons, in 2015 - 24.8 thousand tons, in 2016 - 25.6 thousand tons.

The main volume of uranium production falls on the national company "Kazatomprom" (geological exploration, uranium mining, its export). It mines uranium independently and as part of a joint venture. In 2012, the company's production (including shares in the joint venture) amounted to 11.9 thousand tons, in 2013 - 12.6 thousand tons, in the first quarter of 2014 - 3.0 thousand tons.

However, in 2013 foreign companies in Kazakhstan, 9.9 thousand tons of uranium were mined (44% of the total production). But who are these major foreign players? The question is certainly interesting. And the answer is even more interesting.

Uranium One is a mysterious key player

Uranium One is an active company in Kazakhstan, which, as part of a joint venture, conducts industrial production of uranium at six mines: Akdala (Uranium One accounts for 70%), South Inkai (70%), Karatau (50%), Akbastau (50%), Zarechnoye (49.67%) and Kharasan (30%). Apart from Uranium One, only Kazatomprom is the co-owner of the first four mines.

In the Zarechnoye mine, Kazatomprom owns 49.67% (the same as Uranium One) and the remaining 0.66% belongs to Karabalta Mining Combine (Kyrgyzstan).

In the Kharasan mine, Kazatomprom and Uranium One each own 30%, and the remaining share (40%) is owned by a consortium of Japanese energy companies Energy Asia Limited.

In 2012, Uranium One produced 4,387 tons of uranium at its Kazakh mines (including its share in the mines), in 2013 - 4,915 tons (an increase of 12.0%). In the I quarter In 2014, 1381 tons were produced (9.6% growth compared to Q1 2013). By 2017, uranium production is planned to be increased to 6,000 tons.

In addition to Kazakh assets, Uranium One "solely" owns two more uranium mines - Willow Creek in the US and Honeymoon in Australia. The American Willow Creek mine is now commercially producing uranium. In 2013, 426 tons were mined. 2014 — 79 tons (decrease of 27.5% compared to Q1 2013). Pilot production is underway at the Australian Honeymoon. During the first half of 2013, 83 tons were mined. Since the second half of the year, the mine has been mothballed.

In total, Uranium One at all its mines on three continents in 2012 produced 5534 tons, in 2013 - 5988 tons, in 2014 it plans to produce at least 5625 tons.

Uranium One also has a 13.9% stake and is the operator of the Mkuju River mine in African Tanzania. A feasibility study for its development is being prepared. The company had an option to increase its share in the mine, and there was such an opportunity. But at the end of 2013, a decision was made on the inexpediency of this step.

The decline in uranium production at the Willow Creek mine and its cessation at Honeymoon, as well as the refusal to increase its share in the Mkuju River, is due to unfavorable global market conditions. Now the price of uranium is falling. Medium selling price Uranium One on it in the I quarter. 2013 was $45 per pound, and in the I quarter. 2014 - $36. The company's adjusted net loss in Q1 2014 amounted to $22.9 million, in the I quarter. 2013 - $11.2 million

But who is behind the company, which is one of the largest uranium miners in the world?

Uranium One was created in late 2005 through the merger of two mining companies: Canadian Southern Cross Resources Inc. and South African Aflease Gold and Uranium Resources Limited. Registered in Canada. In 2007, Uranium One bought two more companies - UrAsia Energy Ltd. and Energy Metals Corporation.

UrAsia Energy Ltd. registered in the USA. It was she who, at the end of 2005, bought for $420 million shares in the Akdala, South Inkai and Kharasan mines from an unnamed "group of Kazakhstani investors" at that time. The uranium reserves and resources of these mines amount to 71.8 thousand tons (as of 2013).

But after UrAsia Energy Ltd passed into the hands of Uranium One, the latter also got shares in these Kazakh mines. In addition, at the end of 2009, Uranium One acquired a 50% stake in another Kazakh mine, Karatau, and at the beginning of 2010, a mine in the United States, Willow Creek (uranium reserves and resources of 10.9 thousand tons). At the end of 2010, Uranium One also acquired stakes in the Akbastau and Zarechnoye mines.

And now let's move on to the real owners of the extremely active and rapidly growing company Uranium One.

Recall that in the 90s and the first half of the 2000s, Russia was focused on defending its sovereignty and its natural resources. There were many people who wanted to extract oil, gas and metal ores in Russia. Therefore, there were no forces or funds left to fight for foreign deposits, and Russia's successes in the fight for Kazakhstani uranium were modest.

Rosatom, represented by its daughter Atomredmetzoloto (ARMZ), got only miserable crumbs at the start of the 2000s - in 2001, a joint venture was created to develop the Zarechnoye mine. The situation began to fundamentally change only at the end of 2006, when the Comprehensive Program of Russian-Kazakh cooperation in the field of the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes was signed. In accordance with it, a joint venture was created to develop the Akbastau mine. The second “shift” occurred in early 2009, when ARMZ, a subsidiary of Rosatom, bought a share (50%) of the Karatau mine from the Kazakh company Efficient Energy, and pilot uranium mining was started at it, as well as at the Zarechnoye and Akbastau mines. . In the same year, Rosatom began to take over Uranium One. The first step was neutral - ARMZ exchanged a stake in Karatau for a 19.9% ​​stake in Uranium One. Later, ARMZ's share was increased to 23.1%.

In June 2010, ARMZ increased its stake in Uranium One to a controlling 51%. As payment, Uranium One received ARMZ's shares in the Zarechnoye and Akbastau mines, as well as $610 million.

And at the end of January 2013, ARMZ bought out the remaining 49% stake in Uranium One for $1 billion, taking advantage of the fact that they fell in price after the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

In January of this year, the head of Rosatom Sergei Kirienko reported the following: “We mined 3.2 thousand tons of uranium per year. But in 2013 we produced 8.4 thousand tons”.

As you can understand, the named result of annual production in 2013 "in 8.4 thousand tons" Sergei Kiriyenko named it taking into account the production of Uranium One. And the indicator in "3.2 thousand tons" characterizes the production of uranium directly on the territory of Russia.

In 2013, the 100% granddaughter of Rosatom, Uranium One, mined 4,915 tons of uranium at Kazakh mines (49.6% of the total production by foreign companies). This is 1.54 times more than Rosatom produced in Russia. This is the price of the issue in the battle for uranium in Kazakhstan.

We note right away that the losses of Uranium One in 2013 and early 2014 when it is included in the vertically integrated company Rosatom, are of a formal nature, since low prices uranium leads give Rosatom savings on fuel for its nuclear power plants. And the refusal to buy a stake in the African Mkuyu River mine is most likely due to the fact that in the near future this stake can be bought much cheaper.

How the US fucked up all the atomic polymers

In the period from the beginning of 2009 to the beginning of 2013, Rosatom not only radically "pushed" Western firms in uranium mining in Kazakhstan, but received mines in the United States, Australia and Tanzania. How could this happen? Who allowed? Where did the State Department and the Pentagon look?

Two factors worked for Rosatom. The first of them diplomatically formulated CEO OJSC Techsnabexport Ms. Zalimskaya. According to her, “The successful implementation of the HEU-LEU Program has laid a solid foundation for further development Russian-American Cooperation in the Nuclear Sphere". And it is. The basis for further cooperation is indeed solid. The point is that today USA hit in full technological dependence from Rosatom in the field of uranium enrichment. Obviously, at the final stage of the HEU-LEU program, Washington realized that after the termination of this program, their nuclear power plants could be left without fuel. As a result, the United States was forced to conclude an unspoken package agreement with Russia, according to which Uranium One "departed" to Rosatom. Most likely, according to the same package agreement, Rosatom also received control over a fifth of the US uranium reserves. And this is not an exaggeration! Uranium One produced 426 tons of uranium at its American mine Willow Creek in 2013, which is 19.5% of the total US production (2181 tons).

The second factor that worked for Rosatom was the Comprehensive Program of Russian-Kazakh cooperation in the field of the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. The program signed in 2006 is already mentioned above. But it is worth mentioning the signing by the presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan in May 2013 of a number of bilateral documents related to uranium mining. In addition to resolving legal issues with uranium mines in Kazakhstan, these documents also include a Memorandum on the joint construction of a 1200 MW nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan.

In addition, Rosatom and Kazatomprom signed a joint statement on the development of cooperation in the field of alternative energy and the production of rare and rare earth metals. A separate memorandum on the latter issue was signed on June 25 this year in Moscow. Uranium One has a real project for the extraction of scandium from productive solutions of uranium ore fields. The corresponding technology was created by Russian scientists. In 2013, the first kilograms of this rare earth metal were obtained using it. In the long term, scandium production at Uranium One mines could be so large that it could bring down its global market.

Another joint Russian-Kazakh project began operating in 2013. In October 2006, two countries on a parity basis (from Russia, a subsidiary of Rosatom, TVEL, from Kazakhstan, Kazatomprom) created the Uranium Enrichment Center. In September 2013, he acquired a stake in authorized capital"Ural Electrochemical Plant" in the amount of 25% plus one share. This deal cost Kazakhstan about $400-500 million. But now Kazatomprom has the right to enrich its uranium at the Russian plant. Until the end of 2013, the Uranium Enrichment Center was supposed to make the first commercial delivery in the amount of 300,000 SWU (separation work unit). AT subsequent years Kazatomprom will have guaranteed access to uranium enrichment in the amount of up to 5 million SWU.

In the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh in the southeast of the country, one of the largest deposits uranium on the planet.

According to a study conducted by the Indian National Committee for the Study of Atomic Energy, reserves at the Tumalapale mine in the Kadapa region can reach 150,000 tons. India's total uranium reserves are approximately 175,000 tons.

According to committee chairman Srikumar Banerjee, a preliminary study confirmed the presence of at least 49,000 tons of the mineral in Tumalapal.

However, according to preliminary estimates, this is only a third of the reserves of this deposit, which theoretically makes it one of the largest uranium mines in the world.

In addition, Banerjee reported that the field is located in an area exceeding 35 square kilometers, and research work continue.

However, according to many analysts, even if the announced data are confirmed, these reserves are not enough to meet India's energy needs. This is confirmed by the Indian authorities.

"The discovery will only partially fill the need for natural uranium," one of the local newspapers quotes Banerjee. "We still need imported uranium."

Over the next 30 years, Indian authorities plan to build about 30 nuclear reactors and by 2050 they expect to use them to generate a quarter of the electricity needed by the state.

Uranium mining in the world

Uranium is the most energy-rich fuel that can be used with modern technical capabilities. A few kilograms of uranium can generate as much electrical and thermal energy as tons of coal and oil or thousands of cubic meters of gas.

Uranium is a very heavy, silvery-white, shiny metal. In its pure form, it is slightly softer than steel, malleable, flexible. Chemically, uranium is very active: it quickly oxidizes in air, becoming covered with an iridescent oxide film. Water can corrode metal: slowly at low temperatures and quickly at high temperatures. With strong shaking, the metal particles of uranium begin to glow. There is about 1000 times more uranium in the earth's crust than gold, 30 times more than silver, and almost as much as lead and zinc. Uranium is characterized by significant dispersion in rocks, soils, water of the seas and oceans. Only a relatively small part is concentrated in deposits where the uranium content is hundreds of times higher than its average content in the earth's crust.

When mining ores with a uranium content of 0.1%, in order to obtain 1 ton of uranium oxide U3O8, it is necessary to extract approximately 1000 tons of ore from the bowels, not counting the enormous amount of waste rock from open and sinking cuts. Such a huge mass of ore is best processed and enriched in the immediate vicinity of the mine. Currently, it is considered economically feasible to process ores with a uranium oxide content of 0.05–0.07%. The complex processing of uranium ores with the associated extraction of other valuable components (phosphorus, vanadium, sulfur, molybdenum, iron, copper, gold, rare earth elements) is being introduced into practice more and more widely.

The extraction of uranium ore is carried out mainly either by mine or open pit, depending on the depth of the ore layers. In 2005, underground mines accounted for 38% of the mass of uranium mined in the world, open deposits (quarries) - 30%, 21% of uranium was mined by underground leaching, another 11% was obtained as a by-product in the development of other types of minerals.

With the technology of underground leaching of uranium ores, which is considered advanced, natural uranium compounds are selectively dissolved directly in the ore by a special chemical reagent injected into the reservoir. Then this solution is brought to the surface and then allowed to be processed.

In underground leaching, an ore deposit is opened by a system of wells arranged in rows, polygons, and rings in plan. A solvent is supplied to the wells, which, filtering through the formation, leaches useful components. The solution, saturated with uranium compounds, is pumped to the surface through other wells. In the case of monolithic impermeable ore bodies, the deposit is opened by underground mine workings, individual ore blocks are crushed using drilling and blasting.
Then, on the upper horizon, the array is irrigated with a solvent, which, flowing down, dissolves the mineral. At the lower horizon, the solutions are collected and pumped to the surface for processing.

Uranium ores have been mined by underground leaching since 1957. This technology is especially widespread in the USA, Kazakhstan1 and Uzbekistan, where all ore is mined in this way.

Uranium reserves in 2007
(tons)

Rank	Country
	Australia
	Kazakhstan
	Brazil
	Jordan
	Uzbekistan
	Mongolia
	Other
	Total	5 469 000	3 300 000

Uranium production in 2009 (tU) according to
World Nuclear Association

Rank	Country	Production (tU)	Uranium resources (tU)*
	Kazakhstan
	Australia
	Uzbekistan
	Brazil
	Pakistan
	Total		2 438 100