Namibia: Country Produces 50 Percent More Uranium

Namibia: Country Produces 50 Percent More Uranium
Jo-Mare Duddy
16 June 2009

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URANIUM production in Namibia shot up by 52 per cent last year, making the country the fourth biggest uranium miner in the world, the World Nuclear Association (WNA) confirmed.

The 2008 production figures released by the international watchdog show that Namibia mined 4 366 tonnes of uranium last year, 1 487 tonnes more than in 2007, supplying about ten per cent of the world's demand.

This is the most uranium Namibia has produced in a decade.

In a year when world production expanded by only six per cent, Namibia's increase of more than 50 per cent makes it the country with the second biggest production growth in 2008.

Only Germany, where production climbed by 103 per cent, fared better.

Kazakhstan came the closest to Namibia, increasing production by 28 per cent.

The latest stats allowed Namibia to overtake Russia as the world's fourth largest uranium producer in the world.

The latter now holds the fifth position with an estimated production of 3 521 tonnes last year.

In the top three spots were Canada with 9 000 tonnes, followed by Kazakhstan with 8 521 tonnes and Australia with 8 430 tonnes.

According to the WNA, Rössing Uranium was the world's third biggest uranium mine last year, producing 3 449 tonnes of uranium, or eight per cent of world demand.

Ranger, Energy Resources Australia's (ERA) open-pit mine, delivered 4 527 tonnes, ten per cent of world demand. In the top spot was McArthur River, Cameco's underground mine in Canada, producing 6 383 tonnes uranium or 15 per cent of world demand.

Rio Tinto, who owns 69 per cent of Rössing Uranium, was the biggest uranium producing company.


They supplied 7 975 tonnes of uranium in 2008, representing 18 per cent of total demand.

Also in the top ten are Areva, owners of Trekkopje locally, at number three, and Paladin, owners of Langer Heinrich in Namibia, at number nine.

Tracking producing since 1998, the WNA shows Namibia's 2008 output to be the highest in ten years.

The closest the country came to this peak was in 2005 when 3 147 tonnes of uranium was mined. Also proving to be good years were 2006, with 3 077 tonnes, and 2004, with 3 038 tonnes.

Namibia recorded its lowest uranium production the past decade in 2003, when only 2 036 tonnes was mined.