Uranium Ore Deposits
(last updated 19 Aug 2008)
Contents:
The International Atomic Energy Agency assigns the uranium deposits according to their geological settings to 15 main categories of deposit types, arranged according to their approximate economic significance [IAEA2004]:
- Unconformity-related deposits
- Sandstone deposits
- Quartz-pebble conglomerate deposits
- Vein deposits
- Breccia complex deposits
- Intrusive deposits
- Phosphorite deposits
- Collapse breccia pipe deposits
- Volcanic deposits
- Surficial deposits
- Metasomatite deposits
- Metamorphic deposits
- Lignite
- Black shale deposits
- Other types of deposits
Literature:
Surficial Uranium Deposits (Report of the Working Group on Uranium Geology),
IAEA-TECDOC-322, 1985.
> Download Full Text 
, (17804 kB PDF 
).
Geological Environments of Sandstone Type Uranium Deposits (Report of the Working Group on Uranium Geology), IAEA-TECDOC-328, 1985.
> Download Full Text (27281 kB PDF )
Vein Type Uranium Deposits (Report of a Working Group on Uranium Geology),
IAEA-TECDOC-361, 1986.
> Download Full Text (33984 kB PDF )
Uranium Deposits in Proterozoic Quartz-pebble Conglomerates (Report of the Working Group on Uranium Geology), IAEA-TECDOC-427, 1987.
> Download Full Text (27668 kB PDF )
Inturgeo: the International Uranium Geology Information System (A World Atlas of Uranium Occurrences and Deposits), IAEA-TECDOC-471, 1988.
> Download Full Text (22757 kB PDF )
Franz J. Dahlkamp: Uranium Ore Deposits, 460 p., Berlin Heidelberg 1993 [detailed description of the geology of uranium deposits]
The International Atomic Energy Agency defines the following categories for uranium resources [IAEA2004]:
- Identified Resources (formerly Known Conventional Resources)
- Reasonable Assured Resources (RAR)
- Inferred Resources (formerly Estimated Additional Resources I (EAR-I))
- Undiscovered Resources
- Prognosticated Resources (formerly Estimated Additional Resources II (EAR-II))
- Speculative Resources (SR)
Since not all uranium can be recovered from an ore deposit during mining and milling, resource estimates can be meant for:
| Meaning | Losses taken into acount |
| in-situ resources | uranium contained in ore deposit | none |
| recoverable in-situ resources | uranium contained in mineable ore | mining losses |
| recoverable quantities of uranium | uranium recoverable from mineable ore | mining and milling losses |
IAEA uses the term "resources" for recoverable quantities of uranium.
Various other categories are in use worldwide, for example:
Definitions by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum and
incorporated into National Instrument 43-101:
CIM DEFINITION STANDARDS - For Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves
- A mineral resource is a concentration or occurrence of diamonds,
natural solid inorganic material, or natural solid fossilized organic
material in or on the Earth's crust in such form and quantity and of
such a grade including base and precious metals, coal and industrial
materials, or quality that it has reasonable prospects for economic
extraction. The location, quantity, grade, geological characteristics and
continuity of a mineral resource are known, estimated or interpreted
from specific geological evidence and knowledge. Mineral resources
are subdivided, in order of increasing geological confidence, into
inferred, indicated and measured categories.
- An inferred mineral resource is that part of a mineral resource
for which quantity and grade or quality can be estimated on the
basis of geological evidence and limited sampling and reasonably
assumed, but not verified, geological and grade continuity. The
estimate is based on limited information and sampling gathered
through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops,
trenches, pits, workings and drill holes.
- An indicated mineral resource is that part of a mineral resource
for which quantity, grade or quality, densities, shape and physical
characteristics, can be estimated with a level of confidence sufficient
to allow the appropriate application of technical and economic
parameters, to support mine planning and evaluation of the
economic viability of the deposit. The estimate is based on detailed
and reliable exploration and testing information gathered through
appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches,
pits, workings and drill holes that are spaced closely enough for
geological and grade continuity to be reasonably assumed.
- A measured mineral resource is that part of a mineral resource
for which quantity, grade or quality, densities, shape and physical
characteristics are so well established that they can be estimated
with confidence sufficient to allow the appropriate application
of technical and economic parameters, to support production
planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit.
The estimate is based on detailed and reliable exploration, sampling
and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques
from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill
holes that are spaced closely enough to confirm both geological
and grade continuity.
- A mineral reserve is the economically mineable part of a measured
or indicated mineral resource demonstrated by at least a preliminary
feasibility study. This study must include adequate information on
mining, processing, metallurgical, economic and other relevant factors
that demonstrate, at the time of reporting, that economic extraction
can be justified. A mineral reserve includes diluting materials and
allowances for losses that may occur when the material is mined.
Mineral reserves are subdivided in order of increasing confidence
into probable mineral reserves and proven mineral reserves.
- A probable mineral reserve is the economically mineable part
of an indicated and, in some circumstances, a measured mineral
resource demonstrated by at least a preliminary feasibility study.
This study must include adequate information on mining, processing,
metallurgical, economic and other relevant factors that demonstrate,
at the time of reporting, that economic extraction can be justified.
- A proven mineral reserve is the economically mineable part of a
measured mineral resource demonstrated by at least a preliminary
feasibility study. This study must include adequate information on
mining, processing, metallurgical, economic and other relevant factors
that demonstrate, at the time of reporting, that economic extraction
can be justified.
The amount of reported resources does not include those amounts identified as reserves.
An ore grade of 1% U3O8 is equivalent to 0.848% U.
(see also Unit Converter: Uranium concentration (wt.) · Uranium contents in ore)
1 million lbs U3O8 are equivalent to approx. 385 metric tonnes of U.
(see also Unit Converter: Uranium weight)
The International Atomic Energy Agency uses the following cost categories for uranium resources [IAEA2004]:
- $40/kgU or less (= $15.38/lb U3O8 or less)
- $80/kgU or less (= $30.77/lb U3O8 or less)
- $130/kgU or less (= $50/lb U3O8 or less)
- $260/kgU or less (= $100/lb U3O8 or less)
Current Uranium Spot Price (UxC)
Uranium Mine Feasibility Calculator
(see also Unit Converter: Uranium price · Uranium weight <-> cost)
Identified World Uranium Resources [tU]
| Resource Category | Cost Ranges |
|---|
| < 40$/kgU | < 80$/kgU | < 130$/kgU |
|---|
|
| Reasonably Assured Resources (RAR) | 1,766,400 | 2,598,000 | 3,338,300 |
| Inferred Resources | 1,203,600 | 1,858,400 | 2,130,600 |
|
| TOTAL | 2,970,000 | 4,456,400 | 5,468,800 |
[IAEA2008]
"t" stands for metric tonne.
Not all countries report separate figures for the two lowest cost categories.
The figures are adjusted to account for mining and milling losses.
World Uranium Resources: data and interactive map (Java required) · static map 
World Atlas of Uranium Deposits (UDEPO) (iNFCIS, IAEA)
> Calculate lifespan of the world uranium resources with the Nuclear Fuel Supply Calculator
> See also: Uranium Mines ·
Uranium Market
The world average uranium content in phosphate rock is estimated at 50 - 200 ppm. World uranium resources in phosphate rock are estimated at approx. 9 million t U.
> See: Uranium Recovery from Phosphates
A variety of waste materials may contain elevated concentrations of uranium that might be recoverable in certain circumstances, for example gold and/or uranium mill tailings, coal ash, and other waste materials.
> See current issues: Uranium recovery from waste materials
Sea water contains approximately 3 ppb of uranium (= 3 mg/t).
> See current proposals for uranium recovery from sea water: USA · Japan · India
[IAEA2008] Uranium 2007 - Resources, Production and Demand, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and International Atomic Energy Agency , Paris 2004