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naddr1qq…kgq6The United States is confronting a strategic challenge due to its reliance on uranium imports and constrained domestic production of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium, or HALEU. In 2008, estimates showed that U.S. uranium reserves amounted to around 1,227 million pounds of yellowcake or mined uranium ores (U3O8), enough to support the country for approximately 31.6 years at current consumption levels. The dependency on imports is stark, with 97% of uranium used in 2022 being foreign-sourced; however, this is expected given the national and energy security benefits of conserving domestic resources.
At the moment, Russia is the only country that can produce HALEU commercially. This gives it a strategic advantage, especially when we consider their natural gas and oil resources as well. It also illuminates an important dimension of the U.S.-Russia conflict. The U.S. engages in geopolitical competition with Russia for resource domination. America’s support for Ukraine, amidst this conflict with Russia, plays into a larger strategic posture between the two nations, encompassing military, economic, and technological dimensions.
Although it is one of the few gas centrifuge commercial plants in the U.S. for Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU), the URENCO USA facility in New Mexico does not focus on HALEU production. The American Centrifuge Plant in Ohio, a potential candidate for HALEU production, has not yet commenced significant output in this area.
This situation is critical, particularly given HALEU’s growing role in advanced nuclear reactors, which are central to the United States’ strategy for carbon-neutrality. Emerging reactor models, including Small Modular Reactors, require HALEU because of its efficiency, power density, and higher U-235 content.
The U.S. is the world’s largest producer of nuclear power, accounting for about 30% of worldwide generation of nuclear electricity. The country’s nuclear reactors produced 772 TWh in 2022, 18% of total electrical output, and investments in nuclear are increasing. In 2021, the Department of Energy (DOE) spent a record \(1.3 billion on nuclear energy research. Additionally, in 2022, the DOE allocated over \)61 million for 74 advanced nuclear energy projects nationwide. The Inflation Reduction Act earmarked $150 million for infrastructure improvements at the Idaho National Laboratory, with billions more expected from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
However, the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2020 report on crude oil and natural gas consumption indicates growing scarcity over the next 50 years. This is not only a signal to adapt energy resources but also a signal to replace hydrocarbon compounds derived from oil and natural gas that are critical to uranium mining.
During the fabrication and maintenance of steel used in mining equipment, processing plants, and transport containers, operators use hydrocarbon-derived mineral lubricants, epoxies, and polyester resin coatings. Miners rely on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE) for pipes, liners, and protective components in mining and processing facilities. These polymers are synthesized from ethylene, a petrochemical derivative. They also use kerosene and other petroleum-derived solvents in solvent extraction processes to separate uranium from other minerals. Polyurethane adhesives are used for bonding and sealing in equipment and infrastructure. These are typically synthesized from petrochemicals. Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and sodium hydroxide are used to adjust the pH in various stages of uranium processing. The production of these substances can be linked to hydrocarbon derivatives as well.
Bio-based solutions are not currently in place for the industry to adapt, which means the future of nuclear energy is at risk. Also, the 32-year limit on domestic uranium reserves, underscore the urgency and the non-exaggerated nature of the case for HALEU. This backdrop intensifies the need for a robust approach to HALEU development, as reliance on existing renewables alone will not suffice.
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Anybody else hear about SiegedSec gay furry breach at Idaho National Laboratory? ☠️ Decided to try to unpack the material side of the renewed interest in nuclear energy...