Uranium

Production and distribution

Commercial-grade uranium can be produced through the reduction of uranium halides with alkali or alkaline earth metals. Uranium metal can also be made through electrolysis of KUF5 or UF4, dissolved in a molten CaCl2 and NaCl. Very pure uranium can be produced through the thermal decomposition of uranium halides on a hot filament.

Related Topics:
Reduction - Halide - Alkali - Alkaline earth metal - Electrolysis - K - F - CaCl₂ - NaCl - Thermal decomposition

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Owners and operators of U.S. civilian nuclear power reactors purchased from U.S. and foreign suppliers a total of 21,300 tons of uranium deliveries during 2001. The average price paid was $26.39 per kilogram of uranium, a decrease of 16 percent compared with the 1998 price. In year 2001, the U.S. produced 1,018 tons of uranium from 7 mining operations, all of which are west of the Mississippi River.

Related Topics:
2001 - 1998 - Mississippi River

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Uranium is distributed worldwide. Generally, large countries produce more uranium than smaller ones because the worldwide distribution of uranium is very roughly uniform. Canada is the world's largest producer of uranium, with the world's richest deposits in Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan, through three large mines, produces over a quarter of the world's uranium. Because of this production, extra capacity, and the close government control of the industry the provincial government plays a central role in setting international uranium prices. Australia also has extensive uranium deposits making up approximately 30% of the world's known uranium reserves. The world's largest single uranium deposit is located at the Olympic Dam Mine in South Australia. http://www.uraniumsa.org/processing/processing.htm http://money.cnn.com/services/tickerheadlines/for5/200411231804DOWJONESDJONLINE000797_FORTUNE5.htm

Related Topics:
Canada - Saskatchewan - Australia - Olympic Dam - South Australia

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The ultimate supply of uranium is very large. It is estimated that for every doubling of price, that the supply of uranium that can be econimicaly mined is increased 2.5 times. Therfore a ten fold increase in price will result in an increase of the supply by a factor of 20 increase.

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