Supply-demand Gap
Current global uranium production meets only 58 per cent of demand, with the shortfall made up largely from rapidly shrinking stockpiles. The shortfall is expected to run at 51 million pounds a year on average from next year to 2020. During the last 15 years, the shortfall between production and requirements was made up by excess commercial inventories, uranium released from military use and other secondary sources. These are now in decline, and the shortfall will increasingly need to be made up by primary production.
| Country | Uranium required 2006-08 | % of world demand | Indigenous mining production 2006 | Deficit (-surplus) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 18,918 tonnes (41.71×106 lb) | 29.3% | 2,000 tonnes (4.4×106 lb) | 16,918 tonnes (37.30×106 lb) |
| France | 10,527 tonnes (23.21×106 lb) | 16.3% | 0 | 10,527 tonnes (23.21×106 lb) |
| Japan | 7,659 tonnes (16.89×106 lb) | 11.8% | 0 | 7,659 tonnes (16.89×106 lb) |
| Russia | 3,365 tonnes (7.42×106 lb) | 5.2% | 4,009 tonnes (8.84×106 lb) | −644 tonnes (−1.42×106 lb) |
| Germany | 3,332 tonnes (7.35×106 lb) | 5.2% | 68.03 tonnes (0.1500×106 lb) | 3,264 tonnes (7.20×106 lb) |
| South Korea | 3,109 tonnes (6.85×106 lb) | 4.8% | 0 | 3,109 tonnes (6.85×106 lb) |
| UK | 2,199 tonnes (4.85×106 lb) | 3.4% | 0 | 2,199 tonnes (4.85×106 lb) |
| Rest of world | 15,506 tonnes (34.18×106 lb) | 24.0% | 40,327 tonnes (88.91×106 lb) | −24,821 tonnes (−54.7×106 lb) |
| Total | 64,615 tonnes (142.45×106 lb) | 100.0% | 46,403 tonnes (102.30×106 lb) | 18,211 tonnes (40.15×106 lb) |
Read more about this topic: Uranium Depletion
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