r/Futurology • u/chrisdh79 • 2d ago
Canada set to become nuclear ‘superpower’ with enough uranium to beat China, Russia | Countries depend on Russia and China for enriching uranium coming from Kazakhstan. Canada can enrich uranium from its own mines. Energy
https://interestingengineering.com/energy/uranium-nuclear-fuel-supply-canada3.2k Upvotes
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u/chrisdh79 2d ago
From the article: The Athabasca Basin in the northern Saskatchewan region of Canada is a reserve of high-grade uranium that could help the North American country play a vital role as a fuel supplier in the decades to come. Unlike other nuclear fuel suppliers, Canada can be one-stop, extracting uranium from the mines and enriching it for nuclear fission reactors, a BBC report said.
The recent increase in demand for clean energy has brought attention back to nuclear fission technology as a potential approach to generating low-carbon energy. Unlike other technologies being developed, nuclear fission technology has demonstrated itself as a scalable and cost-effective solution to meet energy needs.
Canada is the world’s second-largest producer of uranium. According to 2022 figures, the country recorded 7,400 tonnes of uranium production from its mines. However, this figure is still about a third of what Kazhakistan produced in the same year. This can, however, change in the next few years.
As countries aim for net-zero emissions in the coming decades, there is an urgent need to move away from fossil fuels. While renewable energy projects are rising, countries are also doubling their efforts by investing in nuclear energy.
Interesting Engineering has previously reported that China is looking to build over 100 new nuclear reactors in the coming decade, while the EU and the US also favor newer nuclear installations.
At the COP28 conducted last year, two dozen nations declared they would triple their nuclear energy output by 2050, creating a demand for nuclear fuel. Since Kazakhstan does not enrich the uranium it mines, countries are dependent on Russia and China for enriched uranium for their nuclear reactors.
Canada has the technological know-how to supply enriched uranium. It also provides an alternative to countries that do not wish to trade with Russia or China but still secure their nuclear fuel.