I. HORE-LACY, WorldNuclearAssociation, UK

Abstract: Uranium as an essential energy mineral is produced in similar fashion to many other metal minerals. Mining is underground or in open pits, with the ore dug out and treated in a mill, or increasingly by in situ leaching, with only the dissolved mineral removed and recovered. Some uranium is recovered as a by-product of copper or other mining. Uranium resources are abundant, especially in the light of technological means of using it much more fully. Secondary sources are significant, and much has moved from military stockpiles to power generation. The chapter surveys the main uranium mines and mining regions.

Key words: underground and open pit mining, in situ leaching, tailings management, abundant resources.

6.1 Introduction

In the last sixty years uranium has become one of the world’s most important energy minerals. It is used almost entirely for making electricity, though a small proportion is used for the important task of producing medical isotopes. Some is also used in marine propulsion, especially naval.