An important prerequisite to the long-term use of nuclear energy is information on uranium ore deposits from which uranium can be economically exploited. Hence the basic purpose of this book is to present an overview of uranium geology, data characteristic for uranium deposits, and a synthesis of these data in the form of a typological classification of uranium deposits supported by more detailed descriptions of selected uranium districts and deposits. An additional goal is to provide access for the interested reader to the voluminous literature on uranium geology. Therefore a register of bibliography as global as possible, extending beyond the immediate need for this book, is provided. The volume presented here was not originally designed as a product for its own sake. It evolved as a by-product during decades of active uranium exploration and was compiled thanks to a request by the Springer Publishing Company. Routine research work on identifying characteristic features and recognition criteria of uranium deposits, combined with associated modeling of types of deposits for reapplication in exploration, provided the data bank. The publisher originally asked for a book on uranium deposits structured as a combined text- and reference book. The efforts to condense all the text into a single publication were soon doomed. The material grew out of all feasible proportions for a book of acceptable size and price, a wealth of data on uranium geology and related geosciences having become available during the past decade, too vast for one volume.

The reserves, or extractable fraction, of the fuel-mineral endowment are sufficient to supply the bulk of the world's energy requirements for the immediately forseeable future-well into the next century according to even the most pessimistic predictions. But increasingly sophisticated exploration concepts and technology must be employed to maintain and, if possible, add to the reserve base. Most of the world's fuel-mineral resources are in sedimentary rocks. Any procedure or concept that helps describe, under stand, and predict the external geometry and internal attributes of major sedimentary units can therefore contribute to discovery and recovery of coal, uranium, and petroleum. While conceding the desirability of renewable and nonpolluting energy supply from gravitational, wind, or solar sources, the widespread deployment of these systems lies far in the future-thus the continued commercial emphasis on conventional nonrenewable fuel mineral resources, even though their relative significance will fluctuate with time. For example, a decade ago the progilostications for uranium were uniformly optimistic. But in the early 1980s the uranium picture is quite sombre, although unlikely to remain permanently depressed. Whether uranium soars to the heights of early expectations remains to be seen. Problems of waste disposal and public acceptance persist. Fusion reactors may ultimately eliminate the need for uranium in power generation, but for the next few decades there will be continued demand for uranium to fuel existing power plants and those that come on stream. This book is, to some extent, a hybrid.

This volume gathers and presents a massive collection of data on the location, quality and accessibility of uranium resources in nearly every region of the globe. This exhaustive, up-to-date reference is designed for practical use and arranged by four geographic regions: Asia, USA and Latin America, Europe, and Australia-Oceania and Africa.