Ranger Uranium Mine, Number 3 pitQuarterly expenditure ($millions) on uranium exploration since 1988Annual Australian production of uranium (thousand tonnes) since 1989
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.[1][2]
In 2019 Australia exported 6,613 tonnes (15 million pounds) of uranium, 12% of world production, for use in nuclear power generation.[3] IAEA and the OECD's NEA reported that the price of uranium in 2019 was $130/kg, and estimated that 35% of the world's uranium resource reserves was in Australia (1,748,100 tonnes out of 4,971,400 tonnes).[4][5] In terms of production, Kazakhstan is the largest supplier, followed by Canada and Australia.[6][7]
Following the Japanese Fukushima nuclear disaster in early 2011, many countries scaled back their nuclear power production, with some setting deadlines for a complete shutdown of all nuclear power reactors, with a resultant impact on demand for uranium. As of 2013 uranium prices have been very low. New mine developments have received State government approval in Western Australia and Queensland, although it is unlikely that new projects will enter active development until the uranium market price improves.
For several decades uranium mining has been a major part of the Australian political discussion, with opposition groups citing the wide-ranging environmental impacts, indigenous land access and nuclear proliferation as reasons for ceasing or restricting the industry. The debate has resulted in limitations on mining and export activities, with Federal and State governments occasionally backflipping on public policy.
As of 2017, there were three operational uranium mine sites: Olympic Dam (BHP), Ranger (Energy Resources of Australia), and Beverley Four Mile (Heathgate Resources).[8]
^McKay, Aden D.; Miezitis, Yanis (2001). "Australia's uranium resources, geology and development of deposits" (PDF). Mineral Resource Report 1. Geoscience Australia: 10. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
^"Australia's Uranium and Nuclear Power Prospects". World Nuclear Association. August 2011. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
^"Uranium Production Figures, 2010-2019". London: World Nuclear Association. September 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
^"Uranium 2020: Resources, Production and Demand" (PDF). Vienna: Nuclear Energy Agency and International Atomic Energy Agency. 2020. p. 21. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
^"Supply of Uranium". London: World Nuclear Association. December 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
^"World Uranium Mining Production". London: World Nuclear Association. March 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
^"World Uranium Mining". World Nuclear Association. May 2010. Archived from the original on 18 June 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
^"Australia's Uranium". London: World Nuclear Association. October 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
and 27 Related for: Uranium mining in Australia information
development until the uranium market price improves. For several decades uraniummining has been a major part of the Australian political discussion,...
share, followed by Australia with 12%. Uranium has been mined in every continent except Antarctica. Uraniumminingin the DRC ceased in 2004 with the closure...
Uraniummining is the process of extraction of uranium ore from the ground. Over 50 thousand tons of uranium were produced in 2019. Kazakhstan, Canada...
Pedy are known as mining towns. Major active mines inAustralia include: Olympic Dam in South Australia, a copper, silver and uranium mine believed to...
uraniummining debate covers the political and environmental controversies of uraniummining for use in either nuclear power or nuclear weapons. In 2022...
carries out analyses for the mining industry, for forensic purposes and for research. Australia hosts 33% of the world's uranium deposits and is the world's...
Park, located in the Northern Territory of Australia, possesses within its boundaries a number of large uranium deposits. The uranium is legally owned...
of Australian inquiries and reports relating to uraniummining issues. For several decades uraniummining has been a major part of the Australian political...
The Ranger Uranium Mine was a uranium mine in the Northern Territory of Australia. The site is surrounded by, but separate from Kakadu National Park, 230 km...
Western Australia has considerable resources of uranium, but to date there has been no commercial miningin the state. Two uraniummining projects in the...
The AustralianUranium Association was an Australian industry trade group which represented companies involved inuranium exploration, mining and export...
production in the next few years. Uraniumminingin Namibia is of considerable importance to the national economy. In 2020, Namibia produced 11% of uranium worldwide...
Uraniumminingin the United States produced 224,331 pounds (101.8 tonnes) of U3O8 in 2023, 15% of the 2018 production of 1,447,945 pounds (656.8 tonnes)...
only. Uraniummining List of countries by uranium production Uraniummining by country Uranium 2020: Resources, Production and Demand (PDF). Uranium. OECD...
policy is to develop the export potential of Australia'suranium industry by allowing mining and export of uranium under strict international agreements designed...
located in South Australia, 550 km (340 mi) NNW of Adelaide. It is the fourth largest copper deposit and the largest known single deposit of uraniumin the...
Uraniumminingin Colorado, United States, goes back to 1872, when pitchblende ore was taken from gold mines near Central City, Colorado. The Colorado...
Miningin Western Australia, together with the petroleum industry in the state, accounted for 94% of the State's and 46% of Australia's income from total...
1986 to 1991. Uranerz, the Australian arm of German-based uraniummining house Uranerzbergbau, explored throughout Australia, New Zealand, and Africa,...
1972–73 debate over French nuclear testing in the Pacific and the 1976–77 debate about uraniummininginAustralia. Several groups specifically concerned...
specializes in the nuclear fuel market. List of countries by uranium reserves Uraniummining by country Uraniumminingin France List of uranium projects...
used carbonate solutions. ISL mininginAustralia uses acid solutions. In-situ recovery involves the extraction of uranium-bearing water (grading as low...
Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs using in some instances radioactive and toxic materials, such as Plutonium, Beryllium, and Uranium. Most of the minor trials involved...
deposit. The primary use for uranium obtained from mining is in fuel for nuclear reactors. Globally, the distribution of uranium ore deposits is widespread...
Agency. 2006. Retrieved 29 March 2007. "UraniumMining and Processing in South Australia". South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy. 2002. Archived...
uranium reserves Uranium market Uranium ore deposits MiningUranium List of countries by uranium production UraMin "World UraniumMining Production". World...
Uraniumin the environment is a global health concern, and comes from both natural and man-made sources. Beyond naturally occurring uranium, mining, phosphates...
Global Information
