The growing emphasis that countries are placing on energy security and cleaner forms of energy has brought a renewed interest in nuclear power, which has served to increase pressure to explore and mine uranium - the raw material that powers the nuclear fuel cycle.
However, the long term sustainability of nuclear power depends on an adequate supply of uranium resources that can be delivered to the marketplace at competitive prices and in an environmentally-friendly way.
New exploration technology and a better understanding of the genesis of the uranium ores are required to discover uranium deposits, while advances in mining and milling technology should lead to these operations having the least possible environmental impact. Site decommissioning plans should also meet the requirements of increasingly stringent environmental regulations.
To discuss these issues, uranium experts are meeting today in Vienna for an international Symposium. The International Symposium on Uranium Raw Material for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Exploration, Mining, Production, Supply and Demand, Economics and Environmental Issues (URAM-2009) will address all aspects of the uranium fuel cycle, from the availability of raw materials to the long-term sustainability of nuclear power, and is due to close on 26 June.
The revival of the uranium industry in recent years has caused a dramatic increase in uranium exploration and mining activities in several countries.
"We are in a time of buoyant activity for the uranium production cycle," states Yury Sokolov, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy. "It must be said that whilst the world may be in a period of economic recession, the levels of activity in the uranium mining business seem to be continuing unabated - at least for the larger producer companies and countries."
URAM-2009 brings together scientists, exploration and mining geologists, engineers, operators, regulators and fuel cycle specialists to exchange information and discuss updated research and current issues in uranium geology and deposits, exploration, mining and processing, production economics and environmental and legal issues. The Symposium is the third in a series of meetings that began in 2000.