International Symposium on Uranium Raw Material for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Exploration, Mining, Production, Supply and Demand, Economics and Environmental Issues (URAM-2018)

Supporting Sustainable Development of Uranium Resources in Africa

27 Jun 2018, 09:20

20m

Vienna

ORAL Track 12. Uranium newcomers Uranium Newcomers

Speaker

Dr Peter H. Woods (IAEA)

Description

The IAEA contributes to the balanced development of uranium resources in Africa by facilitating the application of good practices in uranium production cycle, from exploration to closure and remediation, which in turn contribute to the socioeconomic development of the region. From 2014 it enacted a major, four-year regional Africa project through its Technical Cooperation (TC) programme on supporting the sustainable development of uranium resources. This project, RAF2011, was in continuation of a regional Africa uranium-themed project that was commenced in 2009, and the work will be continued with a follow-on regional project from 2018. The main activities were general and specialized workshops and training courses held in African Member States, supporting the sustainable development of uranium resources there. A Uranium Production Site Appraisal Team (UPSAT) review mission was undertaken for the first time in Africa (in Tanzania) under the framework of this project. This paper summarizes the activities of the project and looks forward to planned activities for the follow-on project, which have been refined based on feedback from the participants and the specialized experts who have assisted the IAEA with this project.