COMPARISON OF US URANIUM RESOURCES TO GLOBAL URANIUM RESOURCES

摘要

Annual requirements of uranium to fuel the 441 currently operating nuclear reactors in the world is 170 million pounds U_3O_8 (65,385 tonnes U). 2005 global production was 108 million pounds (41,595 t U), of which only 2.7 million pounds U_3O_8 (1,039 t U), was produced from US uranium deposits. US nuclear utilities represent 26% of the global nuclear capacity but only obtain 2.5% of their supply from US uranium mines. Since 2002 annual global production increased from 93 million pounds U_3O_8, a 15% increase and the US production increased from 2.3 million pounds to 2.7 million pounds, a 17% increase.