Nuclear power and uranium mining against the background of energy policy

The availability of energy reserves, and in particular uranium, is reviewed on the basis of the present world energy situation. Coal and nuclear power will be the key supply factors, with nuclear power used for base load supply. Present world coal reserves are about 10, 200 thousand million tons coal equivalent, but only 685 thousand million tons coal equivalent or 6.7% can be extracted profitably. Known natural uranium reserves at present are about 5,000 million tons of uranium. This reserve will not be sufficient in the long run - not even together with the estimated reserves - if present reactor strategies with one-way utilisation of uranium are kept up. On a short-term and medium-term basis, i.e. for the next 5 or 10 years, uranium supply and demand will be in equilibrium for minimal reactor programs. There will be come stagnation on the uranium market. Of course, unforeseen events may occur in uranium-supplying countries whose development trends and uranium mining problems are discussed in a separate chapter. (orig./HS) 891 HS/orig.- 892 MKO