A Mine-Based Uranium Market Clearing Model

Economic analysis and market simulation tools are used to evaluate uranium (U) supply shocks, sale or purchase of uranium stockpiles, or market effects of new uranium mines or enrichment technologies. This work expands on an existing U market model that couples the market for primary U from uranium...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Aris Auzans, Erich A. Schneider, Robert Flanagan, Alan H. Tkaczyk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2014-11-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/7/11/7673
_version_ 1811187346805096448
author Aris Auzans
Erich A. Schneider
Robert Flanagan
Alan H. Tkaczyk
author_facet Aris Auzans
Erich A. Schneider
Robert Flanagan
Alan H. Tkaczyk
author_sort Aris Auzans
collection DOAJ
description Economic analysis and market simulation tools are used to evaluate uranium (U) supply shocks, sale or purchase of uranium stockpiles, or market effects of new uranium mines or enrichment technologies. This work expands on an existing U market model that couples the market for primary U from uranium mines with those of secondary uranium, e.g., depleted uranium (DU) upgrading or highly enriched uranium (HEU) down blending, and enrichment services. This model accounts for the interdependence between the primary U supply on the U market price, the economic characteristics of each individual U mine, sources of secondary supply, and the U enrichment market. This work defines a procedure for developing an aggregate supply curve for primary uranium from marginal cost curves for individual firms (Uranium mines). Under this model, market conditions drive individual mines’ startup and short- and long-term shutdown decisions. It is applied to the uranium industry for the period 2010–2030 in order to illustrate the evolution of the front end markets under conditions of moderate growth in demand for nuclear fuel. The approach is applicable not only to uranium mines but also other facilities and reactors within the nuclear economy that may be modeled as independent, decision-making entities inside a nuclear fuel cycle simulator.
first_indexed 2024-04-11T14:01:42Z
format Article
id doaj.art-a59f0b09f6834e8b8467e8a6699ce939
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1996-1073
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-11T14:01:42Z
publishDate 2014-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Energies
spelling doaj.art-a59f0b09f6834e8b8467e8a6699ce9392022-12-22T04:20:07ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732014-11-017117673769310.3390/en7117673en7117673A Mine-Based Uranium Market Clearing ModelAris Auzans0Erich A. Schneider1Robert Flanagan2Alan H. Tkaczyk3University of Tartu Institute of Physics, Ravila 14C, Tartu 50411, EstoniaNuclear and Radiation Engineering Program, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USANuclear and Radiation Engineering Program, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USAUniversity of Tartu Institute of Physics, Ravila 14C, Tartu 50411, EstoniaEconomic analysis and market simulation tools are used to evaluate uranium (U) supply shocks, sale or purchase of uranium stockpiles, or market effects of new uranium mines or enrichment technologies. This work expands on an existing U market model that couples the market for primary U from uranium mines with those of secondary uranium, e.g., depleted uranium (DU) upgrading or highly enriched uranium (HEU) down blending, and enrichment services. This model accounts for the interdependence between the primary U supply on the U market price, the economic characteristics of each individual U mine, sources of secondary supply, and the U enrichment market. This work defines a procedure for developing an aggregate supply curve for primary uranium from marginal cost curves for individual firms (Uranium mines). Under this model, market conditions drive individual mines’ startup and short- and long-term shutdown decisions. It is applied to the uranium industry for the period 2010–2030 in order to illustrate the evolution of the front end markets under conditions of moderate growth in demand for nuclear fuel. The approach is applicable not only to uranium mines but also other facilities and reactors within the nuclear economy that may be modeled as independent, decision-making entities inside a nuclear fuel cycle simulator.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/7/11/7673uranium supplymarket modelingnuclear fuel cycle economics
spellingShingle Aris Auzans
Erich A. Schneider
Robert Flanagan
Alan H. Tkaczyk
A Mine-Based Uranium Market Clearing Model
Energies
uranium supply
market modeling
nuclear fuel cycle economics
title A Mine-Based Uranium Market Clearing Model
title_full A Mine-Based Uranium Market Clearing Model
title_fullStr A Mine-Based Uranium Market Clearing Model
title_full_unstemmed A Mine-Based Uranium Market Clearing Model
title_short A Mine-Based Uranium Market Clearing Model
title_sort mine based uranium market clearing model
topic uranium supply
market modeling
nuclear fuel cycle economics
url http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/7/11/7673
work_keys_str_mv AT arisauzans aminebaseduraniummarketclearingmodel
AT erichaschneider aminebaseduraniummarketclearingmodel
AT robertflanagan aminebaseduraniummarketclearingmodel
AT alanhtkaczyk aminebaseduraniummarketclearingmodel
AT arisauzans minebaseduraniummarketclearingmodel
AT erichaschneider minebaseduraniummarketclearingmodel
AT robertflanagan minebaseduraniummarketclearingmodel
AT alanhtkaczyk minebaseduraniummarketclearingmodel