The Soviet uranium industry and exports of nuclear materials and services

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · International Geology Review; (United States)

OSTI ID:5493619

Sagers, M J

The USSR has been offering Western countries, through long-term contracts, services in the processing and enrichment of uranium for their nuclear power industries since 1973. Although known for some time from Western sources, this was confirmed by Boris Semyenov, First Deputy Chairman of the USSR State Committee for the Utilization of Atomic Energy, in 1989. Other sources state that the first service contract was signed in 1971, with initial deliveries beginning in 1973, and that altogether, there are now about 10-12 long-term contracts with firms in various Western European countries that extend to the year 2000 or in some cases to 2010. Although these services are said to remain the mainstay of business with the capitalist countries of the West, the export of enriched uranium materials produced from domestic ore began in 1988. Clients include firms in both the US and Western Europe. Evidently, the severe balance-of-payments problems in Soviet foreign trade operations in recent years have led the Soviets to push alternatives to oil exports as much as possible, notably metals and minerals and chemicals and fertilizers, and this has now extended to the Soviet uranium industry. The paper discusses the USSR uranium industry, uranium mining, uranium enrichment, and plutonium production.

• OSTI ID: 5493619
• Journal Information: International Geology Review; (United States), Journal Name: International Geology Review; (United States) Vol. 32:8; ISSN 0020-6814; ISSN IGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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