Uranium: the unloved metal whose price is poised to go radioactive

Jon Yeomans NOVEMBER 20th, 2016

“….Most developed countries, with the notable exception of Germany, have concluded that nuclear power is an essential part of their energy supply alongside gas and renewables. Nuclear provides a “baseload” that solar and wind energy cannot because they vary with the weather – at least until battery storage technology improves.”

“Proponents argue that no country can successfully “decarbonise”, or curb greenhouse gas emissions, without nuclear. So demand for uranium across the next two decades seems assured.”

“Each year the world adds 80m people – that’s the equivalent of another Germany,” says Reeve. “Standing still is not good enough.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/11/20/uranium-the-unloved-metal-whose-price-is-poised-to-go-radioactiv/

Why the Uranium Price will Bounce Back
Jocelyn Aspa • November 22, 2016

“The uranium price remains at record lows, falling from $34.70 per pound at the start of the year to $18.50 per pound by mid-November. That’s roughly a 53 percent drop over the year, and many have been bearish on a price rebound.

Still the uranium future outlook is positive among many in the industry, even though it’s currently the complete opposite.”

“Understandably, it can be difficult to not get caught up in the present–especially when times have been tough–but there is a strong consensus in the sector that it’ll bounce back sooner than one may think….”

http://investingnews.com/daily/resource-investing/energy-investing/uranium-investing/uranium-price-bounce-back/?nameplate_category=Uranium%20Investing

Top Uranium-producing Companies in the World
Find out which companies produced the most uranium in 2015.
Jocelyn Aspa • November 8, 2016

http://investingnews.com/daily/resource-investing/energy-investing/uranium-investing/uranium-producing-companies-bhp-rio-tinto-cameco-areva-paladin-ur-energy-uranium-one-energy-fuels-peninsula-uranium-resources/?nameplate_category=Uranium%20Investing

Uranium Prices Hit A 12-Year Low Due To Feds And Clinton Cronies
ANDREW FOLLETT – 11/02/2016

“….Uranium prices have been continually falling since the 2011 near meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, which caused public opinion to turn against nuclear power. In early 2011, uranium was trading around $70 a pound.

Today’s low uranium prices are also partially due to the DOE dumping vast swaths of uranium onto the market to fund its operations, lowering the price enough to harm the U.S. uranium industry. Since 2011, DOE has sold off roughly $1 billion of publicly-owned uranium through private sellers without overseeing the transactions, and research by the Government Accountability Office found DOE did not did not properly value uranium sales or adequately assess any impact on the commercial uranium market.

Another major factor is that environmentalists and left-wing politicians have used alleged environmental risks to cripple the American uranium industry, allowing foreign producers, especially Kazakhstan and Russia, to flood the American uranium market. As a result, American uranium mining is on the decline as a result of the extremely strict regulations, with fewer new holes drilled and expenditures for new land, exploration, and drilling declining 22 percent, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

American commercial nuclear reactors doubled their purchases of Kazakhstani uranium in 2014, largely due to the decline in the amount of the American uranium industry. Kazakhstan alone now supplies 23 percent of the uranium for America’s nuclear reactors, according to the EIA…”

http://dailycaller.com/2016/11/02/uranium-prices-just-hit-a-12-year-low/

On shaky ground: Australian uranium and Fukushima
Dave Sweeney 28 November 2016

https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/on-shaky-ground-australian-uranium-and-fukushima,9778

The Coal Industry Isn’t Coming Back
By MICHAEL E. WEBBERNOV. 15, 2016

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/16/opinion/the-coal-industry-isnt-coming-back.html?_r=0

A Bleak Outlook for Trump’s Promises to Coal Miners
Clifford Krauss and Michael Corkery
Sunday, 20 Nov 2016

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/20/a-bleak-outlook-for-trumps-promises-to-coal-miners.html

Trump’s big plan for the Coal Industry just got even harder
Tom DiChristopher | Tuesday, 22 Nov 2016

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/22/trumps-big-plan-for-the-coal-industry-just-got-even-harder-than-it-was-yesterday.html

Not Forgotten: Trump makes intentions clear regarding coal industry
EDITORIALS – NOV 24, 2016

“How much good President-elect Donald Trump can do for the devastated coal industry in West Virginia remains to be seen. As we have pointed out, some of the damage caused by President Barack Obama’s war on coal and affordable electricity will be irreversible.”

“At least Trump has not forgotten about us, however. Too often, political campaign promises are forgotten even before final vote tallies are received….”

http://www.journal-news.net/opinion/editorials/2016/11/not-forgotten-trump-makes-intentions-clear-regarding-coal-industry/

Coal Industry needs more than political help to make comeback
NOVEMBER 21, 2016

http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/syndicated-columnists/article116321943.html

Minister defends Coal Industry after call to ban new mines to save reef
Christopher Knaus – Thursday 24 November 2016

“The Dalrymple coal loading terminal in Mackay. Former Great Barrier Reef marine park chief Graeme Kelleher says the only way to save the reef is to stop approving new coal mines.”

“Josh Frydenberg has defended Australia’s coal industry as “vitally important” days after a former Great Barrier Reef authority chief called for a ban on new mines.”

“Speaking after a forum on the reef with state and territory ministers in Sydney on Friday, the federal environment minister said other countries would simply “fill the void” if Australia did not export coal.”

“We have said consistently and publicly that coal is a part of the national and international energy mix and will be so for decades to come,” he said.

“The coal sector is vitally important in Queensland as it is in other parts of the country, it helps to meet the energy security of millions of people across the world, creating billions of dollars of export income, and employing many people…”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/nov/25/government-defends-coal-industry-ahead-of-unesco-report-on-reef

Here’s A Historic First For America’s Natural Gas Industry
By PiercePoints on November 16, 2016

“America’s energy scene has been in massive flux since the “shale miracle” broke in 2010.

And these past weeks, the U.S. oil and gas industry set a milestone. Doing something never done before in American history.

Becoming a net exporter of natural gas…”

http://www.valuewalk.com/2016/11/historic-first-america-natural-gas/

Natural Gas as a Global Commodity
Jude Clemente – NOV 23, 2016

“The U.S. became a net gas exporter just a few weeks ago, but exports to Canada have actually been falling. Unlike still developing Mexico, Canada doesn’t have huge incremental gas needs, explaining why it’s so critical for Canada’s gas industry to have access to global markets via LNG. Interestingly, while Mexico is overdependent at 60%, natural gas accounts for just 10% of Canada’s power generation.

But, U.S. shale gas will continue to be very competitive into eastern Canada as new pipeline infrastructure gets built, such as the Rover and Nexus routes which will take Marcellus and Utica gas to southern Ontario’s Dawn hub. Both are expected to have completed phases next year.

One interesting market to watch will be how rising oil prices impact oil sands development in Alberta and thus Canadian gas demand. Mining and in situ oil sands activity utilize gas for process heat and to upgrade bitumen to synthetic crude. Gas utilized in the business is expected to double to around 5.2 Bcf/d by 2030…”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/judeclemente/2016/11/23/natural-gas-as-a-global-commodity/#15923e501fd6