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J' avais lu l' an dernier que le programme de transfert d' U militaire des Russes vers les USA était terminé.
N 'est il pas ?

Uranium: La Russie termine ses livraisons aux USA

08 Avril 2014

Débuté il y a 20 ans, les USA viennent de terminer un accord avec la Russie relatif à l'uranium enrichi qui provient du démantèlement des armes nucléaires russes. Le recyclage des armes atomiques permet de couvrir le 40% des besoins en uranium des centrales nucléaires mondiales.

En 20 ans, la Russie a transformé 500 tonnes d'uranium hautement enrichi (UHE), l'équivalent de 20'000 ogives nucléaires, en 14'500 tonnes uranium faiblement enrichi (UFE) dans le cadre de l'accord intergouvernemental russo-américain dit UHE-UFE signé le 18 février 1993.

L'entreprise russe Techsnabexport a annoncé avoir reçu le dernier paiement après avoir envoyé le dernier lot d'uranium faiblement enrichi a été envoyé aux Etats-Unis le 14 novembre 2013.

La réalisation du contrat signé par Techsnabexport avec USEC le 14 janvier 1994 et portait sur la livraison d'uranium pour les centrales américaines. Le deal a rapporté plus de 13 milliards de dollars à la Russie. Cette transaction a permis de couvrir le 50% des besoins des centrales nucléaires américaines.

Uranium Seawater Extraction Makes Nuclear Power Completely Renewable

July 03, 2016 nextbigfuture.com

New technological breakthroughs from DOE’s Pacific Northwest (PNNL) and Oak Ridge (ORNL) national laboratories have made removing uranium from seawater within economic reach and the only question is – when will the source of uranium for our nuclear power plants change from mined ore to seawater extraction?

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The latest technology builds on work by researchers in Japan and uses polyethylene fibers coated with amidoxime to pull in and bind uranium dioxide from seawater (see figure above). In seawater, amidoxime attracts and binds uranium dioxide to the surface of the fiber braids, which can be on the order of 15 centimeters in diameter and run multiple meters in length depending on where they are deployed

Advances by PNNL and ORNL have reduced the cost by a factor of four in just five years. But it’s still over $200/lb of U3O8, twice as much as it needs to be to replace mining uranium ore.

Over the last twenty years, uranium spot prices have varied between $10 and $120/lb of U3O8, mainly from changes in the availability of weapons-grade uranium to blend down to make reactor fuel.

So as the cost of extracting U from seawater falls to below $100/lb, it will become a commercially viable alternative to mining new uranium ore. But even at $200/lb of U3O8, it doesn’t add more than a small fraction of a cent per kWh to the cost of nuclear power.

Marine testing at PNNL showed an ORNL adsorbent material had the capacity to hold 5.2 grams of uranium per kilogram of adsorbent in 49 days of natural seawater exposure — the crowning result presented in the special issue. The Uranium from Seawater program continues to make significant advancements, producing adsorbents with even higher capacities for grabbing uranium. Recent testing exceeded 6 grams of uranium per kilogram of adsorbent after 56 days in natural seawater — an adsorbent capacity that is 15 percent higher than the results highlighted in the special edition.

Uranium is dissolved in seawater at very low concentrations, only about 3 parts per billion (3 micrograms/liter or 0.00000045 ounces per gallon). But there is a lot of ocean water – 300 million cubic miles or about 350 million trillion gallons (350 quintillion gallons). So there’s about 4 billion tons of uranium in the ocean at any one time.

However, seawater concentrations of uranium are controlled by steady-state, or pseudo-equilibrium, chemical reactions between waters and rocks on the Earth, both in the ocean and on land. And those rocks contain 100 trillion tons of uranium. So whenever uranium is extracted from seawater, more is leached from rocks to replace it, to the same concentration

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Scientists from two DOE labs, Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Washington, led more than half of the 30 papers in the special issue. ORNL contributions concentrated on synthesizing and characterizing uranium adsorbents, whereas PNNL papers focused on marine testing of adsorbents synthesized at national labs and universities.
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That teamwork culminated in the creation of braids of polyethylene fibers containing a chemical species called amidoxime that attracts uranium. So far, testing has been conducted in the laboratory with real seawater; but the braids are deployable in oceans, where nature would do the mixing, avoiding the expense of pumping large quantities of seawater through the fibers. After several weeks, uranium oxide-laden fibers are collected and subjected to an acidic treatment that releases, or desorbs, uranyl ions, regenerating the adsorbent for reuse. Further processing and enriching of the uranium produces a material to fuel nuclear power plants.

Uranium Seawater Extraction Makes Nuclear Power Completely Renewable

Uranium prices hit 11-year low

July 20, 2016

Uranium prices have hit an 11-year low as the market struggles with oversupply of the key nuclear material, belying predictions for strong growth in nuclear power in countries such as China.
The price for uranium hit $24.9 a pound on Monday, its lowest level since 2005, according to Ux Consulting, which tracks the lowest available price in the market for delivery within three to 12 months.

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The weakness in the uranium market has led producers to cut output. In April Canadian uranium company Cameco, which owns the world’s biggest uranium mine, said it would reduce output from its Canadian and US operations in response to the low prices.
Cameco’s uranium sales fell 16 per cent in the first quarter to 5.9m pounds. The company’s shares have dropped 19 per cent this year.
The uranium price over the next 12 months the price is likely to be fairly flat, according to Nicolas Carter, executive vice-president at Ux Consulting.
Still, some investors are betting on an eventual rebound in uranium prices, as nuclear power continues to expand in China.
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La livre d' U3O8 au prix du kilo de rumsteak de cheval.

Namibie : en 2017, l’uranium permettra de booster la croissance économique

Agence Ecofin 14 décembre 2016

La croissance économique de la Namibie sera considérablement boostée en 2017 par la production d’uranium, qui devrait doubler suite au démarrage prévu des opérations de traitement à la mine Husab. L’information a été annoncée par BMI Research dans son dernier rapport publié mardi.

« Même si les prévisions de croissance économique ont été revues à la baisse en 2016 de 3,8% à 1,5% en raison de fortes contractions dans les secteurs de la construction, des mines et de l’agriculture au premier semestre, nous prévoyons néanmoins une forte croissance de 4,5% en 2017 », a déclaré le groupe de recherche.

Le projet Husab, une joint-venture entre China General Nuclear Power Holding Corp et Swakop Uranium, produira jusqu’à 15 millions de tonnes d’uranium, production qui sera progressivement augmentée pour atteindre la capacité installée de l’usine de traitement qui est de 50 millions de tonnes par an. Pour l’année 2017, le pays s’attend à ce que la mine, qui ferait de lui le troisième plus grand producteur d’uranium au monde, lui permette de doubler sa production uranifère.

« Nous nous attendons à ce que l'uranium devienne un moteur clé des exportations namibiennes au cours des prochaines années. Nous prévoyons une croissance réelle des exportations de 7% en 2017 contre 2,1% en 2016 », a ajouté BMI.

Toutefois, le groupe de recherche a prévenu dans son rapport que la forte croissance annoncée grâce à l’exploitation de l’uranium devrait être limitée par l’endettement élevé des ménages namibiens.

La Namibie est actuellement le 4ème producteur mondial d’uranium.

Berkeley Energia is opening a new mine in Spain

22 December 2016

An Australian-British company is breaking ground and breaking with the market, opening a new uranium mine in Spain despite a record-low price for the asset.

The mining company Berkeley Energia is opening a new mine in Salamanca, north-western Spain, three hours’ drive west of Madrid, aiming to uncover a wealth of uranium ore. The commodity is hardly in demand right now – indeed, there is global oversupply – but the move itself could not be better timed.

That’s because Berkeley Energia is betting on an expected rise in uranium prices that will be triggered by the current abundance of the nuclear fuel becoming a serious shortfall in the next few years.

With many of Europe’s reactors up for renegotiation on their fuel contracts and 60 new reactors planned in China in the coming years, demand is set to increase, and the Salamanca mine is the only one of its size coming online.

Indeed, the mine will be the biggest of its kind in Europe and will provide enough uranium to meet 10pc of Europe’s needs. Powered by US$100m of investment, the Salamanca project will provide 700 construction jobs as the mine comes online, and once fully operational will support 450 permanent staff and, it is hoped, 2,000 more indirectly.

Uranium exists in a highly cyclical market, with long cycle times. It is, as Paul Atherley, chief executive of Berkeley Energia, says, “one of the worst commodities in the world right now, and it’s not getting any better in the short to medium term”.

For much of the 1980s and 1990s, its spot price was below production cost for most of the industry, at around $10 per pound. The Euratom long-term contract price declined from around $30 per pound to $15 over the same period.

However, Mr Atherley says that change is on the horizon already, with new Chinese reactors and in Europe, “the biggest recontracturalisation ever will going on”.

Due to uranium’s price cycle, a lack of recent investment in new mining and production facilities and the retirement of old operations has kept investment in new supplies depressed. That means that 2016’s estimated oversupply of 10Mlb will become a shortfall of some 30Mlb by 2030.

The uranium at the Salamanca mine is readily accessible, and Mr Atherley says that operating costs of US$13.30 per pound of uranium make it one of the world’s lowest-cost producers, very economic even with the current spot price at 12-year lows of around $18 per pound.

Although the market remains subdued, prices look like they are just about to turn a corner, with the industry giant Cameco’s share price jumping 40pc in the past few weeks after a multi-year decline.

If predictions for future uranium demand materialise, Berkeley Energia really does appear to have a mine in the right place at the right time.

Soudain rebond des prix de l'uranium

Par Claire Fages RFI 13 janvier 2017

Le prix de l'uranium a bondi de 10% cette semaine. Le Kazakhstan, premier producteur mondial, réduit sa production. Mais le marché de l'uranium reste plombé par d'énormes stocks de combustible.


Les prix de l'uranium connaissent un rebond brutal. Pour la première fois depuis septembre, ils ont dépassé les 24 dollars la livre de concentré. Soit 10% de hausse en quelques jours. Après avoir été l'une des seules matières premières à ne pas connaître d'amélioration des cours l'an dernier, l'uranium est-il en train de remonter la pente ? Pas si sûr.

La hausse de cette semaine est avant tout motivée par la décision du premier producteur mondial, le Kazakhstan de renoncer à produire 2000 tonnes de concentré d'uranium, 10% de sa production, 3% de la production mondiale. Les prix rapprochés de l'uranium, les plus volatils, n'attendaient que cela pour réagir à la hausse.

En réduisant sa production, l'opérateur kazakh imite son concurrent canadien Cameco qui a fait de même. Le président de Kazatomprom avoue lui-même qu'il est temps de regarder la réalité de la surproduction en face. Il est vrai que les stocks d'uranium sont tels en Europe, aux Etats-Unis, et en Asie orientale qu'à eux seuls, ils pourraient faire tourner toutes les centrales en activité pendant trois ou quatre ans.

Les cours spot de l'uranium redémarrent donc grâce à la réduction de l'offre kazakhe, mais ils partent de si bas ! 24 dollars la livre, ce n'est rien comparé aux 70 dollars d'avant la catastrophe de Fukushima, aux 137 dollars de 2007. Si cela fait un peu de bien à l'action des groupes miniers, cela ne sort pas le marché de l'uranium de l'ornière.

La Chine construit certes des réacteurs, mais le Japon tarde toujours à faire repartir tous les siens. Et aux Etats-Unis, même si le prochain président dit vouloir soutenir le nucléaire, les centrales ne sont plus rentables face au gaz, les réacteurs d'Indian Point au nord de New York sont condamnés à fermer.

Pas de quoi motiver les groupes miniers à développer de nouveaux gisements d'uranium. Le Français Areva, très atteint financièrement, a encore repoussé l'exploitation d'Imouraren au Niger.

Australia okays Mulga Rock uranium mine

Deposit is the continent's third largest

Andrew Topf | Mar. 12, 2017 mining.com

Western Australia may soon have a new uranium mine, after the last environmental hurdle was cleared by Vimy Resources to build its Mulga Rock uranium mine.

Josh Frydenberg, Australia's minister of environment and energy, approved the development subject to conditions outlined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Perth-based Vimy announced on March 6. Four days later the company said it has started initial construction, and will expedite developing the project further once the final investment decision is made.

"This is the final environmental approval required before work can commence," said Vimy chairman Cheryl Edwardes. "This approval has been more than three years in the making and has involved considerable effort on the part of all those involved."

The process began in July 2013 when Vimy launched an application for the project. In December Western Australia's environment minister approved the mine, with 14 conditions. They include management plans to minimize impacts on flora and fauna, soil, groundwater and Aboriginal heritage sites. The EPA also concluded that potential radiation exposure is within acceptable limits, according to World Nuclear News.

Located 240 km northeast of Kalgoorlie, in the Great Victoria Desert, the mine would produce 1,360 tonnes of uranium oxide (U3O8) per annum, according to a 2015 prefeasibility study. By comparison, Australia's Olympic Dam mine, the largest uranium deposit in the world, produces 4,500 tonnes of U3O8 per year.

Mulga Rock has 76.8 million pounds of indicated and inferred uranium throughout four deposits, which will be open-pit mined for an expected life of 17 years. Cobalt, copper, nickel and zinc are also expected to be extracted, through a central processing plant. According to Vimy, Mulga Rock is the third largest undeveloped uranium deposit in Australia.

Areva quitte les terres inuites

Usine Nouvelle le 16/05/2017

Après plus de dix ans d’exploration et 56 millions d’euros d’investissements, Areva, le géant français du nucléaire, a annoncé la mise en sommeil de son projet de mine d’uranium au Nunavut, un territoire majoritairement peuplé d’Inuits situé dans l’archipel arctique canadien. "Ce projet pourrait être reconsidéré dans le futur, lorsque les conditions de marché se seront améliorées", précise Areva, qui conserve les permis d’exploration.

L’entreprise s’est heurtée à plusieurs décisions émanant des pouvoirs publics de rejeter le projet, faute d’éléments suffisants pour en estimer l’impact. La mine, destinée à être exploitée durant douze ans, devait alimenter les sites du groupe et créer 400 emplois. Areva a produit 11 186 tonnes d’uranium sur les 60 900 tonnes produites mondialement en 2016.

Areva leaves Nunavut after uranium project rejection

Cecilia Jamasmie | May. 8, 2017,


Areva’s Kiggavik uranium project called for one underground and four open-pit mines just west of Baker Lake, and would have provided at least 400 jobs. (Image courtesy of Areva.)

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Russian state corporation suspends $1.2 billion uranium project in Tanzania
Vladimir Basov

Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom suspends Mkuju River uranium project in Tanzania for at least three years due to depressed uranium market. Rosatom, which previously hoped to start construction and mining uranium at Mkuju River project in 2013, 2016 and in 2018 respectively, decided to suspend the development of this project until the demand for uranium is restored, which is expected not earlier than 2020.

Another reason for this postponement is the major overhaul of Tanzania’s mining industry commissioned by the local authorities in March of this year. Recent bills, which aimed at providing the state with a greater share of revenue from the country’s natural resources, imposed fresh challenges for mining companies operating in Tanzania, including Rosatom.
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Cantor analyst: 'This is the best uranium PEA we have ever seen'


August 6, 2017



NexGen Energy Ltd. announced its maiden preliminary economic assessment (PEA) of the "basement-hosted" Arrow Deposit on July 31. In its press release, the company outlined the following highlights:

· After-Tax Net Present Value (NPV8%) = CAD $3.49 Billion
· After-Tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR) = 56.7%
· Average Annual Production (Years 1-5) = 27.6 M lbs U3O8
· Average Annual Production (Life of Mine) = 18.5 M lbs U3O8

Based on a uranium price of $50/lb, the company anticipates Saskatchewan royalties over the life of the mine of CA$2.98 billion.

The PEA "is based on the mineral resource estimate announced by the Company in March 2017. . .that comprised an Indicated Mineral Resource of 179.5 M lb of U3O8 contained in 1.18 M tonnes grading 6.88% U3O8, and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 122.1 M lb of U3O8 contained in 4.25 M tonnes grading 1.30% U3O8," the company stated. "The PEA does not include the results of the Company's winter or summer 2017 drill programs, which will total over 66,000 m of additional drilling."

eacting to NexGen's announcement in an Aug. 1 research report, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Rob Chang declared, "This is the best uranium PEA we have ever seen. Moreover, the forecast annual production rate of 27.6M lbs U3O8 over the first five years would place Arrow as the largest uranium mine by production in the world and make NexGen the second largest producer behind only Kazatomprom. We are reiterating our Buy recommendation and increasing our target price to $5.65/share, or by 9%."

"The maiden PEA confirms our view that Arrow is a once-in-a-generation type of deposit."
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