319The Future of Energy from Nuclear Fission
An authoritative estimate of recoverable uranium is provided by the OECD
NEA/IAEA Uranium Resource, Production and Demand, also referred to
as the “Red Book” (OECD NEA/IAEA 2009). Estimates of recoverable con-
ventional uranium resources have increased steadily within the last several
decades even as consumption has increased. The 2009 Red Book estimate
of Identied Conventional Resources recoverable at less than $260/kgU is
6.3million metric tons of uranium (MtU) (OECD NEA/IAEA 2009). At current
usage of 68,000 tons of U per year, global identied resources for conventional
nuclear power are sufcient for 90 years (WNA 2011c). The demand for new
uranium resources has been reduced to some degree ...