Mining of uranium and thorium: Difference between revisions
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'''Mining of uranium and thorium''' today is not that much different from mining any other metal; the uranium itself generally has a very low level of radioactivity. Many uranium mines, especially in Australia and Canada, have ISO 14001 certification, which means they have adopted a set of international standards clarifying best practices for | '''Mining of uranium and thorium''' today is not that much different from mining any other metal; the uranium itself generally has a very low level of radioactivity. Many uranium mines, especially in Australia and Canada, have ISO 14001 certification, which means they have adopted a set of international standards clarifying best practices for monitoring safety for workers and the environment. | ||
Three-quarters of the world's uranium is mined in Kazakhstan, Canada, Australia and Namibia, with the remainder from another eleven countries. In the USA and Kazakhstan, most uranium is now extracted by ''in situ'' leach methods<ref>[https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/mining-of-uranium/in-situ-leach-mining-of-uranium.aspx ''In situ'' leach mining of uranium], a tutorial on this kind of mining from the World Nuclear Association</ref>, which is cheaper and seen as better environmentally than traditional mineral extraction methods such as those used in [[coal mining]]. | Three-quarters of the world's uranium is mined in Kazakhstan, Canada, Australia and Namibia, with the remainder from another eleven countries. In the USA and Kazakhstan, most uranium is now extracted by ''in situ'' leach methods<ref>[https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/mining-of-uranium/in-situ-leach-mining-of-uranium.aspx ''In situ'' leach mining of uranium], a tutorial on this kind of mining from the World Nuclear Association</ref>, which is cheaper and seen as better environmentally than traditional mineral extraction methods such as those used in [[coal mining]]. | ||
''See also [[Nuclear power reconsidered]].'' | ''See also [[Nuclear power reconsidered]].'' | ||
Revision as of 15:12, 3 January 2023
Mining of uranium and thorium today is not that much different from mining any other metal; the uranium itself generally has a very low level of radioactivity. Many uranium mines, especially in Australia and Canada, have ISO 14001 certification, which means they have adopted a set of international standards clarifying best practices for monitoring safety for workers and the environment.
Three-quarters of the world's uranium is mined in Kazakhstan, Canada, Australia and Namibia, with the remainder from another eleven countries. In the USA and Kazakhstan, most uranium is now extracted by in situ leach methods[1], which is cheaper and seen as better environmentally than traditional mineral extraction methods such as those used in coal mining.
See also Nuclear power reconsidered.
- ↑ In situ leach mining of uranium, a tutorial on this kind of mining from the World Nuclear Association