Uranium is a chemical element with a mass number of 238.029 which ranks it amongst the heaviest of metals, and it is primarily used for military purposes as a power source and in nuclear weapons. For the naturally occurring uranium, there are two isotopes; uranium-238 and uranium-235 with each accounting for 99.3% and 0.7% respectively which are split to produce the energy. This mineral is commonly found in sea waters and oceans (World Nuclear Association, 2017).
According to a 2015 survey from the World Nuclear Association, the global production of uranium stood at 60,496 tons (2016). In situ leach is the most popular mining method and it accounted for 29,197 tons followed by underground and open pit mining at 27,791. The amount of uranium obtained as a byproduct of mining other minerals was 3,507 tons. Kazakhstan is the leading uranium mining country with an estimated share of 39% followed closely by Canada and Australia with the three combining to account for two-thirds of the uranium mined globally. Between 2007 and 2015, the total amount of uranium tons mined that was mined was 477,339 representing an exploitation rate of 53,038 tons/ year. The current global proved uranium reserves are estimated to be 7.6 million tons (International NEA & IAEA, 2014). Based on these figures, the minerals longevity is 143 years assuming the average exploitation rate remains constant. Estimates provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency are almost similar since the suggested longevity is 150 years (2014).
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Mining of uranium requires the application of specialized techniques that seek to ensure toxic wastes from the element are not harmful to the environment (Thorpe, 2008). Waste management has been a huge problem globally, so it is quite surprising to see the increased rates of uranium exploitation without the establishment of adequate human and environmental safety policies. However, continued mining of uranium is bound to reduce pressure on oil and coal which were the conventional sources of energy.
References
Nuclear Energy Agency and International Atomic Energy Agency (2014). Uranium 2014: Resources, Production and Demand. Retrieved March 7, 2017, from https://www.oecd-nea.org/ndd/pubs/2014/7209-uranium-2014.pdf
Thorpe, D. (2008). Extracting a Disaster. The Guardian . Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/dec/05/nuclear-greenpolitics
World Nuclear Association (2016). World Uranium Mining Production. Retrieved March 7, 2017, from http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/mining-of-uranium/world-uranium-mining-production.aspx
World Nuclear Association (2017). What is Uranium? How Does it Work? Retrieved March 7, 2017, from http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/introduction/what-is-uranium-how-does-it-work.aspx
