AUSTRALIA’S URANIUM: RECENT EXPLORATION, RESOURCES AND MINE DEVELOPMENTS

摘要

Uranium exploration expenditure in Australia reached a record level of A$220.5 million in 2008, which had subsequently declined to A$179.6 million in 2009. Recent discoveries include: Ranger 3 Deeps east of Ranger open pit and Thunderball project in the Northern Territory, and Pepegoona and Yadglin sandstone hosted deposits in South Australia. Australia’s Reasonable Assured Resources recoverable at costs of <80 US dollars/kg uranium at December 2009 are estimated (preliminary) to be 1,224,000 tonnes of uranium, 5% higher than the estimate for December 2008. Recent developments at Olympic Dam mine, Four Mile in situ recovery project, Ranger mine, and Honeymoon, Oban and Yeelirrie projects are discussed.