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List of countries by uranium reserves

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World uranium reserves in 2010

Uranium reserves are reserves of recoverable uranium, regardless of isotope, based on a set market price. The list given here is based on Uranium 2020: Resources, Production and Demand, a joint report by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency.[1]

Figures are given in metric tonnes. The reserves figures denote identified resources as of 1 January 2015, consisting of reasonably assured resources (RAR) plus inferred resources recoverable at a cost range of below US$260/kg U. The list also includes cumulative historical production figures.

The amount of ultimately recoverable uranium depends strongly on what one would be willing to pay for it. Uranium is a widely distributed metal with large low-grade deposits that are not currently considered profitable. As of 2015, 646,900 tonnes of reserves are recoverable at US$40 per kilogram of uranium, while 7,641,600 tonnes of reserves are recoverable at $260 per kilogram.[2] Moreover, much of Canada, Greenland, Siberia and Antarctica are currently unexplored due to permafrost and may hold substantial undiscovered reserves. Australia is estimated to have the largest reserves, followed by Kazakhstan, Canada and Russia.

Country Continent Reserves as of 2019 (tonnes) Historical Production to 2014
 Algeria Africa 19,500 0
 Argentina South America 39,800 2,582
 Australia Australia 2,049,400 194,646
 Belgium Europe 0 686
 Botswana Africa 87,200 0
 Brazil South America 276,800 4,172
 Bulgaria Europe 0 16,364
 Canada North America 873,000 483,957
 Central African Republic Africa 32,000 0
 Chad Africa 2,400 0
 Chile South America 1,400 0
 China Asia 269,700 39,849[3][4]
 Democratic Republic of the Congo Africa 2,700 25,600[3]
 Czech Republic Europe 119,200 111,765[3]
 Egypt Africa 1,900 0
 Finland Europe 1,200 30
 France Europe 0 76,006
 Gabon Africa 5,800 25,403
 Germany Europe 7,000 219,686
 Greece Europe 7,000 0
 Denmark ( Greenland) North America 114,000 0
 Hungary Europe 13,500 21,067
 India Asia 415,800[5] 3000
 Indonesia Asia 8,400 0
 Iran Asia 7,500 0
 Italy Europe 6,100 0
 Japan Asia 6,600 84
 Jordan Asia 52,500 0
 Kazakhstan Asia 969,200 244,707
 Madagascar Africa 0 785
 Malawi Africa 14,300 4,217
 Mali Africa 8,900 0
 Mauritania Africa 24,500 0
 Mexico North America 5,000 49
 Mongolia Asia 143,500 535
 Namibia Africa 504,200 120,418
 Niger Africa 439,400 132,017
 Pakistan Asia 0 1,439[3]
 Paraguay South America 3,600
 Peru South America 33,400 0
 Poland Europe 0 650
 Portugal Europe 7,000 3,720
 Romania Europe 6,600 18,899[3]
 Russia Asia/Europe 661,900 158,844
 Senegal Africa 1,100
 Slovakia Europe 15,500 211
 Slovenia Europe 9,200 382
 Somalia Africa 7,600 0
 South Africa Africa 447,700 159,510
 Spain Europe 28,500 8,028
 Sweden Europe 9,600 200
 Tanzania Africa 58,200 0
 Turkey Asia/Europe 13,600 0
 Ukraine Europe 186,900 129,804
 United States North America 101,900 373,075
 Uzbekistan Asia 132,300 127,591[3]
 Vietnam Asia 3,900 0
 Zambia Africa 31,000 86
 Zimbabwe Africa 1,400 0
Total 8,070,400 2,818,415

Notes: Historical production for the Czech Republic includes 102,241 tonnes of uranium produced in former Czechoslovakia from 1946 through the end of 1992. Historical production for Germany includes 213,380 tonnes produced in the German Democratic Republic from 1946 through the end of 1992. Historical production for the Soviet Union includes the former Soviet Socialist Republics of Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, but excludes Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Historical production for the Russian Federation and Uzbekistan is since 1992 only.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Uranium 2020: Resources, Production and Demand (PDF). OECD Publishing. 2020. doi:10.1787/d82388ab-en. ISBN 978-92-64-26844-9. S2CID 241721777.
  2. ^ Uranium 2016: Resources, Production and Demand (PDF). OECD Publishing. 2016. doi:10.1787/uranium-2016-en. ISBN 978-92-64-26844-9.
  3. ^ a b c d e f estimate
  4. ^ "China's Nuclear Fuel Cycle - World Nuclear Association".
  5. ^ "ATOMIC MINERALS DIRECTORATE FOR EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH (AMD)" (PDF).