A number of global and regional classifications of uranium deposits have been proposed in the past by Heinrich (1958), Ruzicka (1971), Ziegler (1974), Kazansky and Laverov (1977), Mickle and Mathews (1978), Mathews et al. (1979), Dahlkamp (1980), Nash et al. (1981), Barthel et al. (1986), and others. Although they remain in principle valid, recently published descriptions of uranium deposits discovered during the past exploration boom, and new research data on earlier established and defined types of uranium deposits justify a rearrangement and refinement of the classification scheme.

Uranium deposits have been identified in the Kyzylkum region in central Uzbekistan and the Karamazar region in eastern Uzbekistan (>Fig. 7.1). The former contains sandstone-type U mineralization in sedimentary basins as well as carbonaceous (or black) shale-related stockwork-type mineralization in basement uplift s. Volcanic vein-stockwork-type deposits are typical for the Karamazar region. Remaining in situ resources (status: January 1, 2005) are confi ned to the Kyzylkum region and amount to 165 000 t U RAR + EAR-I and 220 000 t U EAR-II + SR recoverable at costs of up to $130 per kg U (OECD-NEA/IAEA 2005). (Note: mining and processing losses of 30% have to be deducted to convert from in situ to recoverable resources.) Mining took place in the Kyzylkum and Karamazar regions.  Conventional mining had ceased, however, by 1994. Continued  exploitation was restricted to ISL operations in the Kyzylkum  basins.

Uranium deposits are known from fi ve uranium provinces and some separate areas (>Fig. 1.1, and discussed below) but no complete uranium inventory of China is published since uranium resources are a state secret. Available information on resources is scanty, incomplete, and burdened with discrepancies. It is unclear whether reported fi gures document original resources or the resource status at a specifi c mining stage. Th erefore, data on resources should to be treated with caution. Taking this into account, available information suggests the following general picture of China’s present resource situation (status 2002).

В условиях устойчивого развития атомной энергетики и растущего спроса на уран как стратегическое сырьё, перед уранодобывающей промышленностью Казахстана стоят задачи повышения эффективности и рентабельности производства. Республика Казахстан является мировым лидером по объёмам добычи урана, основным способом которой остаётся подземное скважинное выщелачивание (ПСВ). Этот метод отличается высокой производительностью и минимальным воздействием на окружающую среду, однако сопровождается рядом технологических трудностей. Одной из наиболее серьёзных проблем является прогрессирующие снижение производительности технологических скважин в процессе эксплуатации.

Uranium deposits and signifi cant occurrences are reported from ten regions of Asian Russia. Th ey include all signifi cant districts and present production centers in Russia (>Fig. 10.1).OECD-NEA/IAEA (2005) reports a total of 172 400 t U as remaining resources recoverable at <$80 per kg U, 131 750 t U of which are attributed to the RAR and 40 650 t U to the EAR-I category. Resources distribution by types of deposits amounts to 117 120 t U in volcanic-, 21 410 t U in sandstone-, and 33 870 t in vein-type deposits.

Uranium is one of the most important energyrelated materials, with current use almost entirely for generating electricity and a small proportion for producing medical isotopes. About 17% of the world’s electricity is generated from 440 nuclear reactors spread across 30 countries, and 8% of the total energy consumed globally comes from nuclear power (EIA 2007). Energy generated from U has a minimal “carbon footprint” and substitution of nuclear generated electricity for coal has been proposed to offset the additional emissions expected from the increase in energy anticipated in the future (Pacala & Socolow 2004). To meet the current and projected needs of the uranium industry, discovery of new deposits and development of new technologies for both exploration and processing are critical. 

Although uranium occurrences are widespread in Mongolia, minable or potentially economic deposits are restricted to date to the North Choibalsan region (Mardai/Dornod District, referred to as Mardai in Mongolian and Dornod (or Dornot) in Russian papers) in NE Mongolia and to the Gobi Desert in S Mongolia (e.g. Choir, Khairkan, Undurshil, Sainshand Basins) (Note: data given for U deposits in Mongolia are based on 1995 status unless otherwise cited). Deposits in these two regions are of volcanic and sandstone type, respectively.

Uranium deposits and major occurrences have been reported in nine regions and some isolated locations (>Fig. 6.1). Deposits with resource estimates and mining potential are known from six regions: Kokshetau (Kokchetav), N Kazakhstan, Pricaspian, SW Kazakhstan, Chu-Sarysu Basin, south-central Kazakhstan, Syr-Darya Basin, S Kazakhstan, Pribalkhash or KendyktasChuily-Betpak Dala region, SE Kazakhstan, and Ily Basin, SE Kazakhstan. Deposits of limited economic interest are known from the Turga-Priyrtish region, N Kazakhstan, and the Granitnoye and Zhalanshiksky regions in central Kazakhstan.Principal types of uranium deposits include sandstone, veinstockwork, volcanic stockwork, lignite/coal and a special variety of organic phosphorite-type, viz. clay-hosted phosphatized fossil fi sh bone.

Uranium is a widespread commodity throughout the crystalline Bohemian Massif and the basins of its platform cover in the Czech Republic. Most uranium mined occurred in vein- and sandstone-type deposits that cluster in a number of districts within eight uranium regions. Small deposits and occurrences also occur isolated elsewhere in the country. $Figure 3.1 shows the uranium regions with districts and deposits and $Table 3.1 lists reported data of districts and deposits. Since uranium mining was resumed after World War II,74 deposits were mined in 6 districts and at several localities scattered throughout the country.

The discovery of uranium is attributed to Klaproth, a German chemist who, in 1789, precipitated a yellow compound by dissolving pitchblende in nitric acid, neutralizing it with sodium hydroxide, and heating it with charcoal to obtain a black powder that was uranium oxide. He named the newly discovered element after the planet Uranus. In 1841, Pe´ligot, a French chemist working at the Baccarat crystal factory in Lorraine, isolated the first sample of uranium metal by heating uranium tetrachloride with potassium. Uranium was used during the nineteenth century to color pottery and glass until the discovery of radioactivity by Becquerel in 1896 (Becquerel, 1896), when he accidentally exposed a photographic plate to uranium. A team led by Enrico Fermi in 1934 observed that bombarding uranium with neutrons produces the emission of beta rays, and this led to the discovery of fission of uranium by the Fermi group on 2 December 1942 – the era of the power of the atom began <...>