The growing global demand for less polluting energies has corroborated a global trend of diversification of the energy matrix and the electricity matrix, making nuclear energy one of the most adopted options in several countries. In this context, uranium ore gains new relevance in the global scenario and conquers an increasingly representative space in the energy market.
As it is an energy source in which no polluting gases that cause the greenhouse effect are emitted, nuclear energy is an effective and efficient method of producing electricity on a large scale.
The role of nuclear energy today
The construction and use of nuclear power plants has expanded considerably since the 1960s, currently accounting for almost 15% of all global production, according to data from the World Nuclear Association (WNA). However, this percentage may increase with the construction of new plants, especially in developing countries.
According to data from the Brazilian Infrastructure Center (CBIE), in February 2019, the world's largest producer of nuclear energy was the USA, followed by France, Japan, Russia, South Korea and China.
In the current scenario, China has been standing out, ranking third in the world. According to GlobalData, China is expected to overtake France as the second largest generator of nuclear energy in the world in 2022, and by 2026, it will take first place, currently held by the USA.
Globally, nuclear energy ranked fifth in 2020, according to data from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), shown in the graph below. This percentage is expected to increase with growing concern about reducing pollutant gas emissions, as well as with the expansion of technology, mainly by China.
The role of nuclear energy in polluting gas emissions
Electricity generation accounts for 16% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and is heavily dependent on fossil fuels such as coal (39%), gas (17%) and oil (8%). As global energy consumption increases, using fossil fuel reserves, CO2 emissions will rise above sustainable levels. In a BBC report from September 2020, maps from the World Economic Forum's Sustainable Development and Impact Summit show a forecast of a drastic change by 2100, involving warming of more than 4°C. One of the measures to be adopted to avoid the worst-case scenario is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, diversifying the energy matrix, reducing the use of fossil fuels, has a major contribution to make to this problem.
Thus, nuclear energy stands out as an alternative source , producing only 0.4% of the amount of carbon dioxide produced by coal, for example. One problem with this energy matrix is the radioactive waste generated. All radioactive nuclear waste is stored in monitored deep pools and containment areas, or in barrels, in the case of low and medium activity waste. In addition, there are places where the waste is placed in decay repositories. In Germany, over the last 50 years, more than 120 thousand barrels of nuclear waste have been placed in the exhausted Asse II salt mine.
The uranium market today
Global demand for uranium is 67,000 tons/year and the expectation, according to the WNA, is that demand will double by 2030. This increase is attributed to the growing nuclear energy industry in Asia, and the number of nuclear power plants under construction in China and India, mainly.
Although uranium is also used in medicine and agriculture, its main commercial application is in the generation of electrical energy . Thus, the global demand for uranium is mainly in countries that use nuclear energy in their energy matrix .
To meet this demand, the uranium production market is still highly concentrated. Currently, three countries are responsible for more than half of the uranium production, with Canada being the largest producer in the world with 9.8 thousand tons/year, followed by Australia with 7.6 thousand tons/year and Kazakhstan with 5.2 thousand tons/year. According to Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB), Brazil is the twelfth largest producer of uranium , meeting the demand of the Angra I and Angra II nuclear plants.
The top 5 publicly traded uranium producing companies are:
- Cameco – 2017 production: 10.8 thousand tons of uranium;
- Rio Tinto – 2017 production: 3 thousand tons of uranium;
- BHP- 2017 production: 2.2 thousand tons of uranium oxide concentrate;
- Paladin Energy – 2017 production: 1.8 thousand tons of uranium;
- Energy Resources of Australia – 2017 Production: 680 tonnes of Uranium.
Regarding world uranium reserves , the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimated 5.4 million tons worldwide in 2009, with 31% in Australia, 12% in Kazakhstan, 9% in Canada and 9% in Russia.
Uranium production in Brazil and its main characteristics: Case INB and Angra
In Brazil, only INB is authorized by the Federal Government to extract and process uranium and other radioactive minerals . The company is linked to the Ministry of Mines and Energy and was established to exercise, on behalf of the Union, the monopoly on the mining of radioactive elements and the production and trade of nuclear materials.
Uranium mining in Brazil began in Poços de Caldas (MG) in 1982, where it continued until 1995, after having produced around 1,200 tons of uranium concentrate. Today, this former mine has given way to a large lake of acidic water, around 180m high and 1,200m in diameter.
Caetité Uranus Province
The Cachoeira Mine in Caetité was the first open-pit uranium mine in Bahia, in the Lagoa Real Uranus Province (PULR). Exploration took place from 2000 to 2015 , with the production of approximately 3,750 tons of concentrate . With the exhaustion of this mine, activities were halted.
According to INB, in December 2020, uranium production resumed at a new mine in the same region. The Engenho Mine will have the capacity to produce around 260 tons/year. Production is expected to reach 1,400 tons/year by 2025, and 2,400 tons/year by 2030, with the contribution of another ongoing project, Santa Quitéria, in Ceará.
To increase uranium production, INB formed, in partnership with the Galvani Group, the Santa Quitéria Consortium to explore the Itataia deposit, in the municipality of Santa Quitéria, in Ceará. The uranium ore is associated with phosphate . Reserves are estimated at 80 thousand tons, and when in operation, the mine will produce 1,600 tons of uranium concentrate annually . According to the Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research (IPEN), exploration is expected to begin in 2024.
Production Process – INB
In the INB production process, after the ore is extracted , the material is transported by trucks to be crushed. After going through primary and secondary crushing stages to reduce particle size, the material is placed in piles to be leached. In short, this leaching process consists of extracting uranium by adding a sulfuric acid solution. Finally, a liquid, the uranium liquor, is obtained .
After being treated with several chemical and physical separation processes , the uranium liquor generates its concentrate, also known as yellowcake . This material is stored in special, completely sealed drums and goes to another stage of the nuclear fuel cycle: conversion.
After the pellets are manufactured and the fuel element is assembled , the Angra 1 and Angra 2 plants are supplied . A fuel element remains in the reactor for approximately three years . After this period, it is stored inside the plants, in the used fuel pools.
Safety protocols in uranium exploration and processing
It is important to emphasize that all processes involving uranium require and comply with all precautions associated with radiological protection. Therefore, all procedures followed must comply with the regulations of agencies such as the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) and the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA).
It is worth mentioning that all professionals involved must use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), according to their assigned function and workplace. In addition, all employees are subjected to bioanalysis tests , through urine, where the radiation dose is counted, monitored and reported to CNEN.
In relation to the environment , we can mention the work of a team from the INB Unit in Caetité . Dedicated to the execution of environmental monitoring programs , the team ensures the quality of the environment and the health of communities close to mining.
These programs verify the characteristics of the soil, sediments, water, dust, and also any changes in the region's background radiation. In short, this data is collected and sent by INB to be evaluated and approved by regulatory agencies, ensuring greater reliability of these results.
Would you like to know a little more about Uranium? Check out our blog post: Uranium: Geology, Exploration and Applications or contact us!