Opening remarks [International symposium on uranium production and raw materials for the nuclear fuel cycle - Supply and demand, economics, the environment and energy security]

The International Atomic Energy Agency takes a great deal of pride in the role that it played in the early 1990s in bringing together the international uranium community to begin to develop a comprehensive database on uranium supply and to openly exchange ideas on uranium geology, production technology and economics and environmental issues associated with uranium production. One of the most valuable biannual publications jointly issued by OECD/NEA and the IAEA is URANIUM: Resources, Production and demand popularly know as Red Book. The Joint OECD/NEA - IAEA Uranium Group also supports the activities in the front-end of the nuclear fuel cycle. The Agency is committed to serve as a forum for discussion on all aspects of uranium supply and demand and hence this symposium. The ultimate goal of the uranium industry can be stated rather simply - providing an adequate supply of uranium that can be delivered to the market place at competitive prices by environmentally sound production practices. Achieving that goal is, however, anything but simple. The industry faces a number of challenges that can best be met through exchanging ideas at meetings such as this Symposium. New exploration techniques may help to broaden the geographic diversity of the uranium resource base. Diversity of supply in turn can help offset the risk arising out of unforeseen delay in executing uranium mining projects in some areas. Sharing information on new production technology can potentially lead to improved project economics and an increase in the low-cost resource base. Case histories ranging from pre-production licensing to final site rehabilitation are invaluable guides to the time frames and costs associated with environmental planning and compliance. An adequate supply of uranium is essential to the future of nuclear power. This Symposium is intended to bring together the broadly diverse expertise needed to assure that future