Trump will now prioritize preventing Iran’s nuclear weapons capability and is likely to reimpose sanctions on Iran to return Iran to total economic isolation to lower Iran’s revenues and reduce Iran’s funding of Islamic Terror Groups. Iran’s citizens need a regime change.
Iran
significantly expanded its production of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade
levels in what appears to be a move to build leverage ahead of U.S.
President-elect Donald Trump taking office on Jan. 20.
https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2025-01/news/iran-ramps-nuclear-program-ahead-trumps-return
According to a Dec. 6 report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran’s monthly production of uranium enriched to 60 percent U-235 at the Fordow uranium-enrichment facility will jump from 4.7 kilograms to 34 kilograms. The increase is due to Iran’s decision to feed 20 percent-enriched U-235 into two cascades of more efficient IR-6 centrifuges to produce the 60 percent-enriched U-235. Previously, Iran fed the centrifuges with uranium enriched to 5 percent U-235.
Uranium enriched to 60 percent U-235 poses a more serious proliferation risk because it can quickly be enriched to the 90 percent U-235 that is considered weapons grade. If Iran made the decision to develop a nuclear weapon, it would need to feed about 42 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent U-235 into centrifuges to produce enough 90 percent-enriched U-235 for one bomb. Increasing the production of 60 percent U-235 at Fordow, rather than Iran’s other uranium-enrichment facility at Natanz, further heightens the threat because Fordow is a deeply buried site that is challenging to target militarily.
France, Germany, and the United Kingdom condemned Iran’s actions in a joint Dec. 9 statement and strongly urged Iran to “reverse these steps” and “immediately halt its nuclear escalation.” The statement also raised concerns that Iran took the actions before the IAEA could implement additional safeguards.
According to the IAEA report on Dec. 6, Iran did not agree to IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi’s request to hold off on increasing its production of uranium enriched to 60 percent U-235 until after the agency could update its safeguards approach. The agency reported on Dec. 11 that Tehran agreed to “increase the frequency and intensity” of IAEA safeguards at Fordow and the agency implemented those measures.
Iran is required under its legally binding safeguards agreement to allow the IAEA to increase verification activities as its nuclear program expands.
Despite the implementation of additional safeguards, the United States raised concerns before the UN Security Council that Iran’s actions “suggest it is not interested in demonstrating verifiably that its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.” U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told the council on Dec. 17 that there is “good reason to be concerned about Tehran’s intentions” and Iran should “take actions that build international confidence and deescalate tensions.”
https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2025-01/news/iran-ramps-nuclear-program-ahead-trumps-return
The price of enriched uranium increases as the enrichment level increases. For example, in 2020, a 10 mg sample of 90% enriched uranium cost $930, while a 10 mg sample of 97% enriched uranium also cost $930. Iran could sell its uranium to China and Russia and abandon their nuclear weapons plan.
Kazakhstan is the largest uranium producing country in the world, and its total output of 21,227 metric tons in 2022 accounted for an impressive 43 percent of global uranium supply. France gets its uranium from Kazakhstan and Niger.
In
2022, Canada was the largest source of uranium for the US, supplying 27% of the
total. Canada has large, high-quality uranium reserves.
In
2022, Kazakhstan was the second-largest source of uranium for the US, supplying
25% of the total.
In
2022, Russia was the third-largest source of uranium for the US, supplying 12%
of the total.
In 2022, Australia was the fourth-largest source of uranium for the US, supplying 9% of the total.
In
2023, Uzbekistan was a source of uranium for the US, supplying 9% of the
total.
In
2023, Namibia was a source of uranium for the US, supplying 3% of the
total.
In 2023, Niger was a source of uranium for the US, supplying 3% of the total.
The
global shift toward nuclear power as a zero-emissions tool could increase the
demand for uranium.
Domestic uranium production
The US Department of Energy has announced its aim to increase domestic uranium production. The US has a strategic uranium reserve, a stockpile of domestically produced uranium.
2023:
The United States produced 50,000 pounds of uranium concentrate (U3O8cap U sub
3 cap O sub 8π3π8), which is a
significant decrease from 2022. This production was only 0.4% of the uranium
fuel needed by the country's nuclear power reactors.
2022:
The United States produced 194,000 pounds of uranium concentrate (U3O8cap U sub
3 cap O sub 8 π3π8). This was an
increase from 2021, when production was at a record low.
2021:
The United States produced 8 metric tons of uranium.
2020:
The United States produced 6 metric tons of uranium.
2019: The United States produced 58 metric tons of uranium.
Some
uranium mining companies in the United States include:
Energy
Fuels: A
leading uranium mining company that provides nuclear fuel for power plants in
the US and around the world. Energy Fuels operates mines in Colorado,
Utah, and Wyoming. Energy Fuels Resources Corporation (EFRC): A
Colorado-based subsidiary of Energy Fuels Inc. EFRC is the largest uranium
mining company in the US after Cameco.
Cameco
Resources: A
uranium mining company.
GTI
Energy Ltd. A
uranium mining company.
Premier
America Uranium Inc. A
uranium mining company.
Ur-Energy
Inc. A
uranium mining company.
Strata
Energy - Peninsula Energy Ltd. A uranium mining company.
Uranium
Energy Corp. A
uranium mining company.
The US imports uranium from countries like Canada and Australia to meet its nuclear fuel needs.
Comments
I expect Trump will increase US production of uranium like he did in 2019.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea
Party Leader
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