Uranium « nuclear-news

Continued decline in price of uranium

Uranium Continues to Slide, 9 News 18 July 12 Last week was another slightly down-week for uranium spot prices, with industry consultant TradeTech reporting just three transactions taking place. Total volume on the spot market was 400,000 pounds, with little activity in either the supply or demand side. TradeTech notes the lack of any sort of firm demand is continuing to place downward pressure on spot prices.
Sellers, for the most part, just don’t want to cut their prices and buyers remain speculative in nature. This is a continuation of the prevalent trend over recent months and means the gap between willing sellers and buyers is continuing to increase.

Based on TradeTech’s assessment of the level at which it assumes a willing buyer and willing seller would do a deal, it’s Weekly U3O8 Spot Price Indicator finished last week at US$50.25 per pound, down US$0.35 from the previous week’s value….
http://finance.ninemsn.com.au/newscolumnists/other/8500561/uranium-continues-to-slide

July 18, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, business and costs, Uranium | Leave a comment

USA exempting uranium mining on federal lands from environmental reviews

Republicans push through mining deregulation bill http://www.nuclearfreeplanet.org/articles/republicans-push-through-mining-deregulation-bill.html 7-13-2012 Joined by only 22 Democrats, Republicans successfully pushed through a bill allowing uranium mining on federal lands to be exempted from “formal environmental reviews. Also included in the exemption would be copper, silver, and gold. Rep. Ed Markey (Dem-MA) accused the Republicans of “actually appear[ing] to be trying to usher in a new stone age,” saying the bill was “a pretext for gutting environmental protections relating to virtually all mining operations” and “a GOP giveaway game show here on the House floor.”
Rep. Rush Holt, Democrat- NJ joined Ed Markey in saying: “It has almost nothing to do with national strategic critical minerals production… Make no mistake, this is a giveaway… It is free mining, no royalties, no protection of public interest, exemption from royalty payments, near exemption from environmental regulations, near exemption from legal enforcement of the protections.”

LARRY MARGASAK (AP) l Seattle Times l 12 Juy 2012

Republicans pushed a bill through the House Thursday that allows the government to exempt gold, copper, silver and uranium mining on federal land from formal environmental reviews…

Read full text

July 14, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, politics, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

Documentary shows the threat of uranium mining to the Grand Canyon

Documentary Short: How Uranium Mining Threatens The Grand Canyon http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/07/11/515109/documentary-short-how-uranium-mining-threatens-the-grand-canyon/?mobile=nc By Public Lands Team on Jul 11, 2012 By Jessica Goad

Today the Center for American Progress and the Sierra Club released a series of short documentary videos called “Public Lands, Private Profits .”

One of the stories, “A Grand Threat ,” profiles the new rush to extract uranium around Grand Canyon National Park. A Canadian company is currently excavating uranium at one mine on the north rim of the canyon, and it has plans for more mines in the near future.

Although Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar set one million acres off-limits to mineral extraction this past January, that decision applied only to new mining claims, not those already in existence. There are approximately 3,500 mining claims that may be valid — potentially resulting in up to 11 uranium mines near the Grand Canyon.

Shockingly, these new mines are moving forward under environmental studies and plans of operation last approved in the 1980s. Although the Interior Department and the Forest Service have full authority to demand updated environmental reviews, they have not taken that step.

And just two weeks ago, Kaibab National Forest Supervisor Mike Williams agreed to let Denison move forward with its plans to develop the Canyon Mine (featured in the video) under environmental and cultural impact studies from 1986.

Last week, Denison Mines sold its U.S. assets to Energy Fuels Incorporated. Denison declined to comment, but Energy Fuels explained that it is “highly cognizant ” of the responsibilities of mining in the region.

Opponents of uranium mining fear that any water pollution could take years to clean up. To find out more about this issue or to take action, visit the Sierra Club’s website .

July 12, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Resources -audiovicual, Uranium | Leave a comment

Workers exposed to airborne uranium, due to pressurised yellowcake containers

Pressurized drums create yellowcake uranium hazard, NRC says By Todd Sperry, CNN Senior Producer July 11, 2012 – Washington (CNN) — After three Canadian employees were exposed to yellowcake uranium last month when a lid blew off a pressurized 55-gallon drum, a uranium mining company has informed U.S. nuclear regulatory officials it has found additional drums possibly susceptible to the same problem, CNN has learned..

.. The NRC and
Canadian nuclear officials are investigating drums shipped from a Willow Creek, Wyoming, mining facility operated by Uranium One to an Ontario processing plant where workers opened them, including the one that ejected the powder. The three employees were overcome by a cloud of yellowcake uranium that had unexpectedly become pressurized.
The worker closest to the drum and two others in the area, who were not wearing respirators, were exposed to airborne uranium, according to the NRC..

… Yellowcake is the byproduct of uranium ore that is mined, crushed and milled until concentrated. It is a key component in manufacturing uranium fuel for nuclear reactors.
NRC officials gave Uranium One until this week to identify whether any other drums had become pressurized during manufacture or shipment…… Other drums shipped to the Canadian facility containing yellowcake were found to be bulging from internal pressure, the NRC said.

July 12, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Canada, incidents, Uranium | Leave a comment

Recycling is one way to manage rare earths responsibly

Recycling Rare Earths Stop Lynas, 11 July 12, “…….We know that human induced climate change is a fact. Solutions to cut carbon emissions include energy efficiency, hybrid cars and renewable technologies like wind power which all need rare earths. But it is a dangerous path we are on when we continue with the ‘business as usual’ moto – instead we must continue to challenge the influence of governments and corporations that do not take people’s needs into account by protecting human rights and the environment for future generations.

One partial solution to the negative impacts of rare earth mining and processing would be to reduce consumption and increase the reuse and recycling rates of rare earth elements. Currently the recycling rate for most rare earth metals is around 1% or less . Japan is exploring increased recycling of rare earths fromelectronic waste . If the price of the final materials included the true social and environmental costs of rare earth mining, the incentive to recycle and dig up less would increase.

We must be concerned not only with how our use of rare earths contributes to their depletion, but also how pollution from the production, processing and use of rare earths should be considered in the context of our use – particularly because rare earths are recyclable. http://stoplynas.org/recycle-rare-earths/

July 11, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | RARE EARTHS, Uranium | Leave a comment

Environmental and financial benefits of recycling rare earths

The Recycling Cost-Benefit Equation One of the benefits of recycling rare earth metals from batteries is that a supply of recycled lanthanum should be more reliable than relying on virgin Chinese sources. Recycling also uses less energy and
emits less carbon dioxide than mining. The economics are less firm, but Caffarey said there is a financial justification for recycling rare earths.

Recycling rare earth metals from batteries American Recycler News, by Mark Henricks, July 12, Toyota has sold nearly 3 million Prius hybrid-drive automobiles, each of which contains a battery pack that has more than 20 lbs. of an exotic metal called lanthanum. Lanthanum, like most of the 17 so-called rare earth elements, primarily comes from China, which has recently tightened export quotas. Special properties of rare earth metals make them highly useful for batteries, magnets and electric motors, and China wants to reserve them for its domestic industries.

Tension between rising demand for lanthanum, which has been infrequently used in products before now, and uncertain supply has created growing interest in finding ways to recycle the millions of batteries that will be coming out of hybrid and plug-in electric cars using nickel-metal hydride batteries. There are plenty of precedents. Continue reading →

July 11, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, RARE EARTHS, Uranium | Leave a comment

Production stops at AREVA’s Niger uranium mine, as workers strike

Niger Areva uranium workers begin 72-hour strike, NIAMEY, Jul 9, (Reuters) – About 1,200 workers at Niger’s Akouta uranium mine owned by COMINAK, a subsidiary of France’s Areva, have began a 72-hour strike to demand higher wages, a union official said on Monday. Inoua Neino, secretary general of the SYNTRAMIN union, said production had stopped at the over 1,600 tonnes a year mine in the north of the west African nation after the workers downed tools.

“We embarked on a strike after our demand for a 3 percent raise in salaries, even though insignificant, was not met with satisfaction by management,” Neino told journalists.

“Workers did not go down into the mine today and if they are not down there, it means that there was no extraction, and if there was no extraction, there is no production,” he said.

The company was not immediately available for comment….. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/09/niger-areva-strike-idUSL6E8I9CEF20120709

July 10, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | employment, Niger, Uranium | Leave a comment

Iran ready to negotiate on uranium enrichment

Iran May Consider Halt To 20% Uranium Enrichment, Press TV Says By Ladane Nasseri – Jul 7, 2012 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-08/iran-may-consider-halt-to-20-uranium-enrichment-press-tv-says.html An Iranian parliament lawmaker said his country is willing to consider the temporary suspension of 20-percent uranium enrichment as part of a negotiated accord, state-run Press TV news channel reported.

In return the so-called P5+1 — U.S., U.K., France, China, Russia and Germany — must agree to meet the country’s needs for 20-percent enriched uranium, said Mohammad-Hassan Asferi, a member of the Parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, according to Press TV.

Iran would be willing to suspend its 20-percent enrichment activity for a specific period if western powers meet its enrichment needs during this time, Asferi said, adding that permanent suspension is “by no means acceptable.”

Iran would also expect sanctions to be lifted and the nuclear dossier to be pulled out of the UN Security Council and referred back to the International Atomic Energy Agency, he said, according to Press TV.

July 9, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international, Uranium | Leave a comment

AREVA having trouble getting funding for uranium enrichment plant

Uranium enrichment plant near Idaho Falls could be delayed KTVB.com.. July 7, 2012 BOISE, Idaho — Areva still hasn’t announced a partner to help build its proposed gas centrifuge uranium enrichment plant near Idaho Falls.

If it can’t find an investor, construction on the $3 billion project will likely be delayed until 2014…. Spokesman Mike French said Areva is still seeking assistance. If no suitable investor is found or steps forward, he says it could push construction back until early 2014.
http://www.ktvb.com/news/Idaho-uranium-enrichment-project-could-be-delayed-161675625.html

July 9, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

Workers exposed to radioactive uranium

Canadian workers exposed to yellowcake http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/canadian-workers-exposed-to-yellowcake/story-fn3dxix6-1226419628561 July 07, 2012 Three workers at a uranium processing plant in Canada were exposed to radioactive yellowcake when the lid blew off of a bulging container imported from the United States, US nuclear regulatory officials say. Continue reading →

July 7, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Canada, incidents, Uranium | Leave a comment

Laser enrichment technology can promote the spread of nuclear weapons

a tension between the United States’ goal of safely commercializing nuclear-power technology and its efforts to control the proliferation of nuclear materials. ”When there’s a conflict, generally speaking, the policy to spread nuclear technology overrides the non-proliferation policy.”

Laser-based uranium enrichment plant sparks controversy 07/05/2012 Laser Focus World by Gail Overton Senior Editor Washington, DC–A July 4 Nature news story from Sharon Weinberger says that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s decision to open a plant that uses laser-based uranium enrichment will be considered in private. Although the controversial laser uranium-enrichment technology is on the cusp of making it cheaper to create fuel for nuclear power plants, some non-proliferation experts are concerned that the efficiency of the laser-based technology will also smooth the path for bomb makers. Continue reading →

July 6, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Reference, technology, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

Uranium mine danger to world heritage park in Tanzania

Tanzania gets U.N. nod for uranium mine in game park DAR ES SALAAM, July 5 (Reuters) – Tanzania has received U.N. approval for Australia-based miner Mantra Resources to build a $400 million uranium mine in a world heritage game reserve despite pressure from environmental groups opposed to the project, it said on Thursday.

Green groups have warned that toxic mining activities at the plant would harm the ecologically sensitive Selous Game Reserve in the east African country… http://af.reuters.com/article/tanzaniaNews/idAFL6E8I57YN20120705

July 6, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AFRICA, environment, Uranium | Leave a comment

Nuclear Free Future Award to Dr Katsumi Furitsu

CBUW Science Team member wins Nuclear Free Future Award http://www.bandepleteduranium.org/en/icbuw-science-team-member-wins-nuclear-free-future International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons. ICBUW’s Dr Katsumi Furitsu is among the five winners of 2012’s Nuclear Free Future Awards for her work on publicising the impact of the Fukushima disaster. 4 July 2012 – ICBUW Continue reading →

July 5, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, opposition to nuclear, Uranium | Leave a comment

Uranium market stays slumped

Gap Grows Between Uranium Buyers and Sellers, 9 News 4 July 12, A slow week last week ended what was a slow month for uranium trading. Spot prices barely budged on the 15 transactions reported in June by industry consultant TradeTech, with sellers unwilling to drop their prices and buyers not willing to pay more.

With traders comprising the vast majority of both buyers and sellers in the bulk of the transactions reported over the past several months, TradeTech notes the spot uranium price remains stuck between the lack of committed buyers and what are fairly unmotivated sellers at current levels.

Last week’s news that Japan had officially green-lighted the restart of two reactors did see a bit of renewed optimism in the market, but what seems to be an increasingly stubborn spot uranium market remained sluggish, with the announcement yet to produce any sort of uplift in prices.

July 5, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, business and costs, Uranium | Leave a comment

USA joining with China to develop thorium nuclear reactors

What’s not clear is what, exactly, the U.S. will get from the collaboration….

U.S. partners with China on new nuclear, By Mark Halper Smart Planet June 26, 2012 E Pluribus Thorium? U.S. Assistant Energy Secretary Peter Lyons and Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Jiang Mianheng have joined forces for thorium development. What’s in it for the U.S.?

The U.S. Department of Energy is quietly collaborating with China on an alternative nuclear power design known as a molten salt reactor that could run on thorium fuel Continue reading →

June 30, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | China, politics international, Reference, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment