Prospects for the Canadian uranium industry

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 81, No. 911, 1988

O.J.C. RUNNALLS, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario

Canada became the world's largest uranium producer in 1984. That leadership position is likely to be maintained for many years into the future because of a firm production base, many undeveloped known deposits with commercial promise, and a large geological potential for new discoveries. There are some uncertainties on the horizon, principally because of restrictive actions in process within the U.S.A., which are aimed at preserving a deteriorating domestic uranium industry. Should such actions result in import restrictions, for example, there would be a negative effect on foreign producers at least in the short term. Canada may avoid such difficulties under a tentative U.S.-Canada free-trade agreement where restrictions on the import of Canadian uranium into the United States would be eliminated. Over the longer term, demand for Canada's uranium resources will grow because of the foreseen growth in the world's installed nuclear power capacity.

Keywords: Uranium, Mineral economics, Energy resources, Nuclear energy, Uranium production.