What about uranium mining?

Context. #

An argument raised by opponents of the mining of uranium for nuclear power is too burdensome. But now let’s do something opponents never do, put it in context.

Fact is, there is no such thing as a free lunch. All energy sources need materials that require mining.

Nuclear energy requires as much as 10 times fewer resources than wind power and even fewer when we compare with solar panels [1]. Mining of rare metals such as neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium, which are used in wind turbines and electric car engines, results in dystopian landscapes [2] and serious environmental pollution as in Baotou in Inner Mongolia [3].

ISL takes over open pit uranium mining #

Traditional open pit uranium mining is not economically viable. Instead, the In-situ recovery (ISR) method is now used [4]. In ISR, holes are drilled down to the uranium ore and lixiviant, a solvent, is added.

Depending on the properties of the mineral deposit, the solvent consists of sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, sodium bicarbonate, oxygen and carbon dioxide. Water forms the main part of the solvent and transports uranium ions and dissolved substances from the ore.

The lixiviant interacts with and dissolves the uranium minerals in the ore, which is drawn up to the surface. All residual materials are pumped back into the underground, and the solvents are recycled. As a result, there is minimal surface disturbance and no tailings or residues from the ore.

In 2019, the ISR method accounted for 57% of the world’s uranium extraction, and that figure is now approaching 65%. Because it is the cheapest extraction method, which means less pollution from uranium mines now and in the future.

So mining uranium for nuclear energy is definitely not the big problem compared to extracting fossil fuels or raw materials for and building RE and batteries.

Sources #

1. https://www.energy.gov/quadrennial-technology-review-2015?fbclid=IwAR1W7xJ3SFwfjDjgQrhicIP6I9VqacYCTi2qrz5-Hy6WSKor6X4xF7z4OS8
2. China Wrestles with the Toxic Aftermath of Rare Earth Mining – Yale E360
3. The dystopian lake filled by the world’s tech lust – BBC Future
4. https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/mining-of-uranium/in-situ-leach-mining-of-uranium.aspx