Milestones in the Development of National Infrastructure for the Uranium Production Cycle

By IAEA

Many IAEA Member States have expressed interest in introducing or reintroducing uranium mining and related activities for the purposes of nuclear fuel production, and so contribute to meeting energy needs. This publication is intended to be used as guidance on how to evaluate the progress toward establishing or re-establishing a national uranium production programme and to aid in the planning steps necessary to develop the national infrastructure requirements for uranium production in a Member State. The publication includes consideration of four phases of successive development in the uranium production cycle to achieve four corresponding milestones. The four phases are: (i) exploration, (ii) construction/ commissioning of a uranium mine and processing facility, (iii) safe operation of a uranium mine and processing facility, and (iv) decommissioning and remediation. Within each phase sixteen aspects or issues are identified that ought to be addressed to achieve each milestone in the development of the uranium production cycle. The publication will be of interest to government decision makers and decision influencers, such as advisors in relevant government departments, regulatory bodies involved in regulation of uranium mines and processing facilities, and the uranium mining/processing industry and researchers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: International Atomic Energy Agency
• Release date: Jan 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9789201290229

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MILESTONES IN THE

DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE

URANIUM PRODUCTION CYCLE

IAEA NUCLEAR ENERGY SERIES No. NF-G-1.1

MILESTONES IN THE

DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE

URANIUM PRODUCTION CYCLE

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

VIENNA, 2023

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

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© IAEA, 2023

Printed by the IAEA in Austria

January 2023

STI/PUB/2019

IAEA Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Names: International Atomic Energy Agency.

Title: Milestones in the development of national infrastructure for the uranium production cycle / International Atomic Energy Agency.

Description: Vienna : International Atomic Energy Agency, 2023. | Series: IAEA nuclear energy series, ISSN 1995–7807 ; no. NF-G-1.1 | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: IAEAL 22-01555 | ISBN 978–92–0–128822–6 (paperback : alk. paper) | ISBN 978–92–0–128922–3 (pdf) | ISBN 978–92–0–129022–9 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Uranium. | Uranium — Production standards. | Uranium industry. | Uranium cycle (Biogeochemistry).

Classification: UDC 622.349.5 | STI/PUB/2019

FOREWORD

The IAEA’s statutory role is to seek to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world. Among other functions, the IAEA is authorized to foster the exchange of scientific and technical information on peaceful uses of atomic energy. One way this is achieved is through a range of technical publications including the IAEA Nuclear Energy Series.

The IAEA Nuclear Energy Series comprises publications designed to further the use of nuclear technologies in support of sustainable development, to advance nuclear science and technology, catalyse innovation and build capacity to support the existing and expanded use of nuclear power and nuclear science applications. The publications include information covering all policy, technological and management aspects of the definition and implementation of activities involving the peaceful use of nuclear technology. While the guidance provided in IAEA Nuclear Energy Series publications does not constitute Member States’ consensus, it has undergone internal peer review and been made available to Member States for comment prior to publication.

The IAEA safety standards establish fundamental principles, requirements and recommendations to ensure nuclear safety and serve as a global reference for protecting people and the environment from harmful effects of ionizing radiation.

When IAEA Nuclear Energy Series publications address safety, it is ensured that the IAEA safety standards are referred to as the current boundary conditions for the application of nuclear technology.

Energy is essential for development. Nearly every aspect of development — from reducing poverty and raising living standards to improving health care and industrial and agricultural productivity — requires access to energy sources. Current forecasts suggest that global electricity use will increase by 65–100% by 2030, with most of the growth in developing countries. Many IAEA Member States have expressed interest in introducing, or reintroducing, uranium mining and production activities to meet their own energy needs or those of other countries.

To introduce or reintroduce uranium mining and production, a wide range of factors need to be considered. This publication elaborates on the ‘Milestones approach’ to the uranium production cycle to assist Member States in adopting a systematic and measured approach to responsible uranium mining and processing. The guidance provided here is within the context of the IAEA’s other publications on the development of the uranium production cycle, such as the IAEA Safety Standards Series.

The IAEA is grateful to the experts who contributed to this publication. The IAEA officers responsible for this publication were B. Moldovan and P. Woods of the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Management.

EDITORIAL NOTE

Although great care has been taken to maintain the accuracy of information contained in this publication, neither the IAEA nor its Member States assume any responsibility for consequences which may arise from its use.

This publication does not address questions of responsibility, legal or otherwise, for acts or omissions on the part of any person.

Guidance provided here, describing good practices, represents expert opinion but does not constitute recommendations made on the basis of a consensus of Member States.

The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries.

The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the part of the IAEA.

The IAEA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third party Internet web sites referred to in this book and does not guarantee that any content on such web sites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

The authoritative versions of the publications are the hard copies issued and available as PDFs on www.iaea.org/publications.To create the versions for e-readers, certain changes have been made, including the movement of some figures and tables.

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background

1.2. Objective

1.3. Scope

1.4. Structure

2. MILESTONES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A URANIUM PROJECT

2.1. Key concepts

2.2. The milestones

2.3. Private and public decisions

3. MILESTONES

3.1. National position

3.2. Safeguards

3.3. Legal and regulatory framework

3.4. Roles and responsibilities of the government, regulatory body and operator

3.5. Stakeholder engagement

3.6. Safety and radiation protection (including emergency planning) of workers and the public

3.7. Environmental protection

3.8. Protection and enhancement of cultural, tourism, farming, pastoral and related interests

3.9. Funding and financing

3.10. Security

3.11. Transport and export route

3.12. Human resources development

3.13. Site and supporting facilities (infrastructure)

3.14. Contingency planning

3.15. Waste (including tailings) management and minimization

3.16. Industrial involvement, including procurement

4. CONCLUSIONS

Appendix I: CASE STUDY OF NAMIBIA

Appendix II: CASE STUDY OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

REFERENCES

ABBREVIATIONS

CONTRIBUTORS TO DRAFTING AND REVIEW

STRUCTURE OF THE IAEA NUCLEAR ENERGY SERIES

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background

A national uranium production programme is a complex undertaking that requires careful planning. A Member State that decides to support such a programme, through either national or foreign investment, needs to make a commitment that the uranium will be used for peaceful purposes. Furthermore, development of a national uranium production programme requires the establishment of sustainable national infrastructure that provides governmental, legislative, regulatory and industrial support for the lifetime of the programme. These aspects need to be based on accepted nuclear safety standards, security guidelines, safeguards requirements and international good practices. Decision makers, governmental organizations, regulatory bodies, academic institutions and industrial organizations need to be consulted to ensure that the required infrastructure is developed to sustain a national uranium production programme

This publication was developed to facilitate the assessment of progress in the development of infrastructure in a Member State considering a national uranium production programme. To enhance the IAEA’s support to Member States in developing such a programme, this publication provides a detailed description of the ‘Milestones approach’ [1] for the stages of the nuclear fuel cycle [2] to help Member States to understand the various stages of knowledge and infrastructure required when they undertake exploration for uranium deposits. Support of uranium exploration by a Member State entails support of uranium mining and processing and requires the establishment of relevant legislation and regulations. If uranium deposits are found, the knowledge to evaluate and potentially develop them for mining and processing in a socially, financially and environmentally sound manner is required before committing to these activities.

All aspects of the uranium production cycle ‘from cradle to grave’ (e.g. from exploration to site remediation) need to be considered by Member States in a logical and systematic way when planning to mine and process uranium-bearing ore. Completion of activities associated with these aspects can be characterized as milestones along the road to sustainable development of a national uranium production programme. At the outset, the establishment of such a programme requires a systematic approach that can be divided into two general areas:

(a) Uranium exploration and resource evaluation. Applicable to all Member States.

(b) Uranium mining feasibility studies, engineering, construction, commissioning, mining, processing and closure. Applicable to Member States that find one or more potentially significant uranium deposits, or where uranium is a potential by-product or co-product of the mining of other commodities, such as copper, gold, tin, rare earth elements, heavy mineral sands or phosphate.

Four milestones are identified for the uranium production cycle, each representing the beginning or boundary point of a stage or phase that a Member State may be currently advancing towards in the development of the uranium production cycle: exploration, development of the mine and processing facility, operation of the mine and processing facility, and finally decommissioning and remediation of the site. Sixteen aspects are identified at each phase and they need to be considered prior to advancing to the next milestone.

This publication can be used by Member States to assess their own status of uranium production development against each of the milestones. This includes the exploration, resource delineation, licensing, construction, commissioning and safe operation of a uranium mine and processing facility and, finally, the decommissioning and remediation phase. In addition, this publication aims to support Member States in regulating and overseeing uranium mining and processing activities. It may also be used to support self-assessment by a Member State already operating or wishing to restart a uranium mine and processing facility. This publication sets the foundation for IAEA integrated uranium production cycle review missions, which — upon request from the Member State — will review a Member State’s progress in developing their national uranium production programme. Other stakeholders or interested parties, such as owners/operators (proponents), academic institutions, suppliers and contractors for uranium mining and processing, may also find this publication useful as they advance their respective programmes.

The information presented here is intended to relate the experience, lessons learned and good practices of countries with established uranium mines and processing facilities. Experience has shown that early attention to all the aspects presented in this publication can facilitate the efficient, safe and sustainable development and operation of a uranium mine and processing facility.

1.2. Objective

This publication defines milestones in the development of the uranium production cycle and provides information on the activities that need to be carried out in a systematic manner at each milestone. A Member State can use it to ensure that it has achieved the following:

(a) Recognized the commitments and obligations associated with the establishment or re-establishment of a national uranium production programme;

(b) Prepared the local and national infrastructure adequately for the

establishment or re-establishment of a national uranium production programme;

(c) Developed all the competences and capabilities required to regulate and potentially operate a national uranium production programme safely, securely and sustainably, and to manage the resulting waste.

1.3. Scope

The scope of this publication covers the governmental, regulatory and operational requirements to effectively and safely develop, commission and operate a uranium mine or processing facility. These requirements are considered from the time that a Member State decides to explore for uranium through to decommissioning and remediation, thereby encompassing the life cycle (cradle to grave) requirements.

The operation, waste management, and decommissioning and remediation of a uranium mine and processing facility are addressed to the degree necessary for planning purposes prior to advancing to operation. Good practice indicates that all key issues across the life cycle of a uranium project — including licensing, environmental assessment, construction, commissioning, operation, decommissioning, remediation and waste management — need to be considered early in the development of a uranium mine and processing facility. The related operational planning has to be well advanced prior to initiating any construction activities for the mine or processing facility. When the Member State is ready to commission a uranium mine or processing facility, it needs to have an understanding of the commitments required for the safe operation of these facilities and to have programmes in place that are sustainable for their life cycle through to their decommissioning, remediation and subsequent long term management, ensuring that they have ‘started with the end in mind’.

This publication covers the milestones of the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle up to the point of production and transportation of uranium ore concentrate (UOC; e.g. yellow cake) and management of its waste. Refining, conversion and enrichment of uranium and nuclear fuel fabrication are outside the scope of this publication. It is not intended to be a comprehensive guide on feasibility studies and project management, but rather presents the national infrastructure requirements that need to exist at significant phases in the development process.

The main users of this publication are expected to be government decision makers and decision influencers, such as advisors in relevant government departments, regulatory bodies involved in the regulation of uranium mines and processing facilities, the uranium exploration and mining/processing industry, and researchers, including those in academic institutions.

1.4. Structure

This publication consists of three main sections, including the introduction. In Section 2, the four major milestones are presented, along with a brief description of each milestone. In Section 3, sixteen aspects of these four milestones are presented, along with the conditions required to achieve each milestone. The appendices provide two case studies.

2. MILESTONES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A URANIUM PROJECT

2.1. Key concepts

A milestone describes a set of conditions that are expected to be met before advancing to a new phase in the development of a uranium project. The preparation of a Member State to introduce uranium exploration and potentially uranium mining and processing involves the completion of several activities, which can be divided into the following five progressive phases of development:

— Phase 1 : Development of a uranium exploration programme.

— Phase 2 : Exploration undertaken for the first time, or for the first time in many years, but with no significant commitment to proceed to mining and processing.

— Phase 3 : Initiation or reinvigoration of a uranium mining development with known exploitable uranium reserves.

— Phase 4 : Commissioning and operation, or increase of current capacity, of a uranium mine and processing facility.

— Phase 5 : Uranium mines and processing facilities at the end of life, or mine sites being made safe but kept in a state suitable for possible reopening in the future.

2.2. The milestones

The completion of the infrastructure requirements prior to advancing to the next phase of development is marked by a specific milestone, at which progress and success of the development effort can be assessed and a decision made to advance to the next development phase. The four milestones in the uranium production cycle are the following:

— Milestone 1 : Ready to make a commitment to explore for uranium.

— Milestone 2 : Ready to commit to developing a uranium mine and processing facility.

— Milestone 3 : Ready to operate a uranium mine and processing facility.

— Milestone 4 : Ready to decommission and remediate a uranium mine and processing facility.

Following Milestone 4, and once all legal requirements have been met and verified during the post-decommissioning and remediation monitoring period, the project owner/operator has the right to apply to the regulatory body to be discharged of all further legal, financial and regulatory obligations of the project. If approved, the site would then be eligible to be part of an institutional control framework (this framework is outside the scope of this publication).

A schematic representation of the five phases and four milestones in the development, operation and decommissioning of a uranium mine and processing facility is provided in Fig. 1.

Like any other mineral derived raw material, uranium may or may not be technically, socially or economically viable to extract. Overall, mining is considered a temporary use of the land, with some operations running for 10–50 years or even longer. Following a successful decommissioning and remediation phase and agreement that the remediation has achieved the end state as approved by the regulatory body, it is expected that the lands will be returned for public or private use under a long term