— The Coastal Plains
2.6. WORLD OVERVIEW OF URANIUM PRODUCTION
In 2016, uranium was produced in 19 different countries. World uranium production increased from 39 603 tU in 2006 to reach 62 071 tU in 2016, but started to decline in 2017 as some producing countries limited their production in response to the low price of uranium. In 2016, 95% of the uranium production was produced in only 8 countries.
In 2016, Kazakhstan was the world’s largest producer, reporting a production of 24 689 tU (40 % of the world production), more than the combined production of Canada and Australia, the second and third largest uranium producers.
Almost one third (30.3%) of historical world production to 2016 is from North, Central and South America (see Fig. 2.26 and Table 2.38), with 99% of this region’s production sourced from North America. This reflects the large production from both Canada (511 321 tU) and the USA (376 204 tU) through 2016.
Historical production from Africa comes mainly from three countries, Namibia, Niger and South Africa.
For the Middle East, Central and Southern Asia, two third of the total production is from Kazakhstan, with most of the remainder from Uzbekistan.
In the Central-Eastern and South-eastern Europe region, most of the historical production comes from Czech Republic, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
For the South-eastern Asia, Pacific, East Asia region, 83% of the total production is from Australia, with most of the remainder from China.
97 % of the historical production in Western Europe is from Germany and France. In 2016, production in Western Europe was only 48 tU, associated to site reclamation.
FIG. 2.26. Total world uranium production by region as of January 2017.
TABLE 2.38. DETAILS OF WORLD PRODUCTION BY REGION IN 2015 AND 2016 (tU) [2.25]
Region 2015 2016
Africa 7 501 7 560
Central, Eastern and South-eastern Europe 4 110 3 955
South-eastern Asia, Pacific, East Asia 7 236 7 963
Western Europe 2 48
North, Central and South America 14 796 15 018
Middle East, Central and Southern Asia 26 646 27 527
USSR 0 0
Total 60 291 62 071
USSR; production through the end of 1991
2.6.1. Production status in Africa
Uranium production in Africa amounted to 7 560 tU in 2016, representing 12.2 % of world production.
Three countries, Namibia, Niger and South Africa, reported output in 2016 (Fig. 2.27 and Table 2.39).
In Namibia, 2016 production was from 3 different mines, Rossing, Husab and Langer Heinrich.
Production at Langer Heinrich started in 2006, but in May 2018 the mine was placed on care and maintenance.
At Husab, production started in 2016, with an objective of 5700 tU/yr production that was completed by the end of 2018.
At Trekkopje, after a limited production in 2012 and 2013, demonstrating the feasibility of the project, the mine was placed on care and maintenance.
Production in Niger come from 2 different mines, Cominak and Somair. Production started at Azelik/Teguidda deposits in 2010 but was stopped in 2015.
Development of the Imouraren mine (5000 tU/yr) was launched in 2009, but the project is now on care in maintenance, due to poor market conditions.
South Africa has been a consistent producer of uranium since 1952. Peak production was achieved at over 6 000 tU/yr in the early 1980s, but in recent years output has declined significantly to around 400-800 tU/year, as a by-product of gold production.
Production commenced at the Kayelekera mine in Malawi in 2009, but the mine was closed up in 2014, and is now on care and maintenance.
Possible production could start in Botswana, Mauritania, Tanzania and Zambia, should market conditions improve.
94
FIG. 2.27. Total uranium production in Africa as of January 2017.
TABLE 2.39. RECENT URANIUM PRODUCTION IN AFRICA BY COUNTRY (tU) (2.25)
Africa 2015 2016
Namibia 2 992 3 593
Niger 4 116 3 477
South Africa 393 490
Total 7 501 7 560
2.6.2. Production status in Western Europe
Uranium production in Western Europe in 2016 was an estimated 48 tU coincident to mine rehabilitation.
Historically through 2016 Western Europe produced 310 371 tU, equal to 10.5 % of world production, with 96.9% of this amount produced in Germany and France (Fig. 2.28 and Table 2.40). The future of uranium production in Western Europe is limited with few resources either identified or undiscovered.
Potential uranium mines could be brought into production in Spain, in the Caceres and Salamanca regions.
FIG. 2.28. Total uranium production in Western Europe as of January 2017.
TABLE 2.40. RECENT URANIUM PRODUCTION IN WESTERN EUROPE BY COUNTRY (tU) [2.25]
Western Europe 2015 2016
France 2 3
Germany 0 45
Total 2 48
2.6.3. Production status in Central, Eastern and South-eastern Europe
Four countries, Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia and Ukraine, reported production to the Red Book for 2016 (Fig. 2.29 and Table 2.41). Uranium production amounted to 3955 tU. Of this production, 76 % was from Russia, and 20 % from Ukraine.
Production in the Czech Republic came from mine reclamation at Straz, and from the Rozna underground mine which stopped production in 2016 as resources were depleted.
Minor amounts of uranium were produced in Hungary from reclamation of the Mecsek mine.
In Russia, uranium was produced using conventional underground mining methods at the Priargunsky centre and ISL method at Dalur and Khiagda centres.
In Ukraine there are three production centres, all underground mines: Ingulskiy mine, Smolinskiy mine and Novokonstantinovskiy mine where production started in 2011.
In Romania, production ceased in 2016 after the depletion of the Crucea-Botusana deposits.
96
FIG. 2.29 Total uranium production in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe as of January 2017. Production prior to 1992, not included in Russian Federation and Ukraine production.
TABLE 2.41. RECENT URANIUM PRODUCTION IN CENTRAL, EASTERN AND SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE (tU) [2.25]
Country 2015 2016
Czech Republic 152 138
Hungary 4 4
Romania 75 0
Russian Federation 3 055 3 005
Ukraine 824 808
Total 4 110
2 955
2.6.4. Production status in Southeast Asia, Pacific, East Asia
Two countries in the region (Australia and China) reported production in 2016 to the Red Book 2018 (Fig. 2.30 and Table 2.42). Of this production, 79.3% was from Australia and over 20% was reported by China.
Australia’s production, 6 3.13 tU in 2016, represented 10% of world production in 2016. Production in Australia comes from the Olympic Dam mine as co-product of copper-gold-silver, from the unconformity-related Ranger deposit and from the sandstone-type deposits of Beverley and Honeymoon, the latter being mined by ISL. Production at Honeymoon started in 2011, but is on care and maintenance since 2014.
Future production centres could include Mulga rock, Wiluna, Kintyre and Yeelirrie. In China, as uranium demand is increasing, several production centres have been developed and put into production. Production increased from an estimated 770 tU in 2008 to 1650 tU in 2016. In 2016, there were seven production centres. The production from underground mines is decreasing significantly, while production from ISL mines is increasing and now dominates the total production. New ISL mines are under study in the Erdos and Erlian basins in Inner Mongolia, and could be developed in the near future.
FIG. 2.30. Total uranium production in South-Eastern Asia, Pacific and East Asia as of January 2017.
TABLE 2.42. RECENT URANIUM PRODUCTION IN SOUTH-EASTERN ASIA, THE PACIFIC AND EAST ASIA BY COUNTRY 2015 AND 2016 (tU) [2.25]
Country 2015 2016
Australia 5 636 6 313
China 1 600 1 650
Total 7 236
7 963
2.6.5. Production status in the Middle East, Central and Southern Asia
Production of uranium in the Southern and Central Asia and Middle East region yielded 27 527 tU in 2016, equating to 44.3 % of global production. Five countries (India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan) reported output in 2016 (Fig. 2.31and Table 2.43).
Kazakhstan is the largest uranium producer in the world since 2009. All deposits (14 production centers in 2016), located in the Chu-Sarysu and Syr-Darya provinces, are mined by in-situ leaching acid technique. Production by underground method at Vostok/Zvezdnoe deposits ended in 2013.
In Uzbekistan, uranium is produced by ISL method. Annual production is estimated to amount to 2400 tU/yr. Construction of new uranium mines in the Central Kyzylkum Desert was planned in 2015, with the objective of increasing the production by 40 %, but was suspended due to the high carbonate content of the ore, rendering ISL method inefficient.
India does not report production figures, but production is estimated to be about 385 tU/yr in three operating plants with a total capacity of 8500 t ore/day produced in eight different deposits.
Iran produces small amounts of uranium from the Gachin deposit and plans to start production in the Saghand deposit in the near feature.
Pakiskan does not report production figures to the Red Book, but production is estimated to be about 45 tU/yr.
98
FIG. 2.31. Total uranium production in Middle East, Central and Southern Asia as of January 2017. Production prior to 1992, not included in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan production.
TABLE 2.43. RECENT URANIUM PRODUCTION IN MIDDLE EAST, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ASIA FOR 2015–2016 (tU) [2.25]
Country 2015 2016
India * 385 385
Iran 10 8
Kazakhstan 23 806 24 689
Pakistan* 45 45
Uzbekistan 2 400 2 400
Total 26 646 27 527
a Secretariat estimate.
2.6.6. Production status in North, Central and South America
Uranium production in North, Central and South America in 2016 totalled 15 018 tU, from Canada and the USA. Historically, through 2016, North, Central and South America produced 894 372 tU, comprisng 30% of total world production, with 57.2% of this amount produced by Canada and 42.1% by the USA, with minor amounts from three other countries: Argentina, Brazil and Mexico (Fig. 2.32 and Table 2.44) In Canada, production came from the McArthur River, Cigar Lake and Rabbit Lake mines in Saskatchewan. Production started at McArthur River mine in 1999, but was suspended at the end of January 2018 due to low uranium prices. At Rabbit Lake, uranium production was suspended in mid-2016. Production at Cigar Lake started in 2014, the ore being processed at McClean Lake mill.
Two uranium projects could enter into production within the next decade, should uranium prices increase, Midwest and Millennium mines, both in Saskatchewan. Several other exploration projects have identified high-grade uranium deposits.
Historically, the USA is the only country, along with Belgium, Canada and Taiwan, China, to have commercially produced significant quantities of uranium from phosphates. From 1978 through shutdown in 1999, at least 17 000 tU were recovered from phosphates mined in Florida. Extensive resources remain and await an improvement in market conditions to justify production. In the USA, uranium was also recovered from acid solutions from waste dumps at copper mines at Bingham Canyon, Utah, and at Twin Buttes, Sahuarita, Arizona, between 1977 and the late 1980s. Maximum production rates amounted to
~90 tU/year at Twin Buttes, with a total production of 420 tU (1980-1985) , and 420 tU at Bingham Canyon (1978-1989) [2.44]. Production in 2016 was from eight mines, one underground mine in Utah and seven ISL mines in Nebraska, Texas and Wyoming. A number of future production centres are in either permitting or licensing process or under development, where production could start in the near future, depending on uranium prices.
In Brazil, the Caetité centre is the only production facility in operation. The open-pit part of the Cachoeira deposit was mine out in 2014. Licencing of the underground part of the deposit is under way and production could restart in 2026. The Engenho deposit, located 2 km from the mined Cachoeira deposit is under development and is expected to feed Caetité mill after 2019. The phosphate/uranium project of Santa Quitéria is under development. The operation is scheduled to begin in 2026.
Argentina produced about 120 tU/yr from the mid-50s until 1999, from seven production centres. A new production center could potentially be developed in the area of the Cerro Solo deposit.
FIG. 2.32. Total uranium production in North, Central and South America as of January 2017.
TABLE 2.44 RECENT URANIUM PRODUCTION IN NORTH, CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA FOR UP TO 2016 (tU) [2.25]
Country 2015 2016 Total to 2016
Argentina 0 0 2 582
Brazil 44 0 4 216
Canada 13 325 14 039 511 321
Mexico 0 0 49
United States 1 427 979 376 204
Total 14 796 15 018 894 372
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