Eleven countries, Germany, the Czech Republic, France, DR Congo, Gabon, Bulgaria, Tajikistan, Hungary, Romania, Spain, Portugal and Argentina, have already peaked their uranium production and exhausted their uranium resources and must rely on imports for their nuclear programs or abandon them.[9][10] Other countries have reached their peak production of Uranium and are currently on a decline.
* Germany
Between 1946 and 1990, Wismut, the former East German uranium mining company, produced a total of around 220 kilotonnes (490×106 lb) of uranium. During its peak, production exceeded 7 kilotonnes (15×106 lb) per year. In 1990, uranium mining was discontinued as a consequence of the German unification.[9] The company could not compete on the world market. The production cost of its uranium was three times the world price.[91]
* India
India, having already hit its production peak, is finding itself in making a tough choice between using its modest and dwindling uranium resources as a source to keep its weapons programs rolling or it can use them to produce electricity.[92]
* Sweden - 1969
Sweden started uranium production in 1965 but was never profitable. They stopped mining uranium in 1969.[93] Sweden then embarked on a massive project based on American light water reactors. Nowadays, Sweden imports its uranium mostly from Canada, Australia and the former Soviet Union.
* UK - 1981
The U.K.'s uranium production peaked in 1981 and the supply is running out. Yet the UK still plans to build more nuclear power plants.[34]
* France - 1988
In France uranium production attained a peak of 3,394 tonnes (7.48×106 lb) in 1988. At the time, this was enough for France to meet the half of its reactor demand from domestic sources.[94] By 1997, production was 1/5 of the 1991 levels. France markedly reduced its market share since 1997.[95] In 2002, France ran out of uranium.[90]
* U.S. - 1980
The United States was the world's leading producer of uranium from 1953 until 1980, when annual US production peaked at 16,810 tonnes (37.1×106 lb) (U3O8) according to the OECD redbook.[96] According to the CRB yearbook, US production the peak was at 19,822 tonnes (43.70×106 lb).[97] The U.S. production hit another maximum in 1996 at 6.3 million pounds (2.9 kt) of uranium oxide (U3O8), then dipped in production for a few years.[98] Between 2003 and 2007, there has been a 125% increase in production as demand for uranium has increased. However, as of 2008, production levels have not come back to 1980 levels.
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