Uranium industry
Energy Resources of Australia Ltd's (ERA) production of around 10 per cent of the world's mined uranium oxide provided the fuel for nuclear power stations in America, Europe and Asia, generating around one per cent of the world's total electricity supply with significantly less carbon emissions than fossil-fuel based power systems.
Many parts of the world have renewed their interest in the nuclear energy option as fears grow about the effect of greenhouse gas emissions on climate. Sustainable development in the future will require increasing reliance on low carbon-emitting sources of energy. Nuclear energy is a key part of the solution.
It is likely that there will be a substantial increase in the use of nuclear power for electricity generation beyond those countries, which now have active programs of building nuclear capacity.
Despite the challenging economic climate, global demand for uranium is expected to grow significantly in the coming decade.
This is due in part to the requirements of the world's 436 reactors, but also due to the construction of new reactors.
Fifty-five new units are currently under construction around the world (20 of which are in China), with over 100 more planned over the next decade.
