Sustainability of Uranium Mining and Milling: Toward Quantifying Resources and Eco-Efficiency

Environmental Science & Technology Vol. 42, No. 7:

April 1, 2008
by Gavin M. Mudd and Mark Diesendorf

http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/sample.cgi/esthag/2008/42/i07/pdf/es702249v.pdf  

The report concludes, "It is clear that there is a strong sensitivity of energy and water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions to ore grade, and that ore grades are likely to continue to decline gradually in the medium- to long-term. These issues are critical to understand in the current debate over nuclear power, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change, especially with respect to ascribing sustainability to such activities as uranium mining and milling."