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An article says a group of Japanese firms including Toshiba Corp, Kazakh state uranium company Kazatomprom, and a unit of Canada’s Uranium One are reported to have opened Khorasan-1 in Kazakhstan, and that Khorasan, with uranium reserves of more than 80,000 tonnes, will produce about 180 tonnes of the commodity this year and reach full capacity by 2014 when it is due to start yielding 3,000 tonnes of uranium a year. The article says the companies have invested about $430 million in the project so far and that about 2,000 tonnes will be shipped to Japan to fuel its nuclear power plants. Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic west of China, is reported to have a fifth of global uranium reserves. To put this production in perspective Canadian based Cameco, the world’s largest non-government owned uranium producer, produced 7,589 tonnes of uranium in 2008 (17 million pounds, source: company annual disclosure). As projects such as the one in Kazakhstan develop it will be important to watch the world demand/supply relationship for uranium and the effect increased supply will have on the market price of uranium.

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A recent article titled ‘Major Investors Piling into Gold’ lists several recent financings.  These include:

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The article claims:  “a strengthening trend: major investors are piling into gold” suggesting this “is a reflection of the strong gold price amid safe haven demand” from “large value investors increasingly deterred by U.S. Treasury related securities”.

My Comment:  As a result of my involvement in the development of StockResearchPortal.com I am in constant contact with Presidents of Canadian Listed Mining and Oil & Gas companies.  I have little doubt, based on the antidotal evidence available to me, that in the past few weeks capital has freed up for what are perceived to be good (particularly ‘gold related’) precious metals companies.  If the U.S. and world economies continue in the next few months on a downward spiral – and it seems to me that currently is the most likely scenario – I think this is likely to put upward pressure on the share prices of a select group of gold explorers and producers.  I think this even more likely if the price of gold continues to increase through 2009.

Read the article by clicking here.

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An ABC News article yesterday – click here – reported Sweden’s Government is planning to overturn a 30-year-old decision to phase out nuclear power, and will lift a ban on building new reactors instituted in 1980.

I have been following the Swedish nuclear story for some time, as has the world.  I consider this development important as it is the result of a multi-year, hard government debate in a very social-conscious country that places the safety of its citizens in high regard.

Sweden currently operates 10 nuclear reactors that supply about 50% of its electricity.  Its coalition government leaders are reported as saying new reactors are needed to help fight climate change and secure the nation’s energy supply.

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Following from my post yesterday titled Mexican Miners/The Peso, I think readers might find the following statistics interesting - particularly in light of currency exchange rates generally, and the obvious need to continually monitor them in the context of their mining company investments.

There are approximately 1,350 base metal, gold, silver and uranium mining companies listed for trading on the Toronto and Toronto Venture Stock Exchanges.  These companies can be distinguished between those that only explore for metals, and those that both explore for and produce metals.  Collectively, these companies conduct their principal operations in almost 90 countries around the world.  To put this number of companies in perspective, our analysis suggests that these 1,350 companies may represent as much as 60% of all mining companies listed for trading on all world stock exchanges.

Again, it is obvious that anyone owning shares in those 1,350 companies whose principal operations are in a country other than Canada need to continually monitor the currency exchange rate between Canada and the country(ies) where there investee companies principally conduct business.  They then need to continuously assess the positive or negative affect of currency fluctuations on each of those companies.  Where there is a large short-term currency fluctuation I suggest the quickest way to determine its affect is to call the company’s President or CFO and question them about its affect(s).  Again, I find these people are readily available to shareholders.  My advice – don’t hesitate to pick up the telephone.

In the StockResearchPortal.com website you can find up-to-date geopolitical and economic write-ups on most of those 90 countries, and up-to-date currency exchange statistics for nine of the major world currencies.  In both cases find this data under the Economic Research tab in the Left Navigation column under ‘Country Detail’ and ‘Currency Exchange’ respectively.

The views expressed in this Post are those of the author. They are offered to readers for information and general guidance only. They are neither intended to, nor should be taken to, constitute economic or investment advice. No check of data underlying articles or comments referenced herein has been made, and no responsibility is taken for them.  See Legal Disclaimer.

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American Scientific today published an article by Steve Fetter, dean of the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy, titled ‘How long will the world’s uranium supplies last?’  Read the article here.  Excerpts follows:

“If the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) has accurately estimated the planet’s economically accessible uranium resources, reactors could run more than 200 years at current rates of consumption.”

“According to the NEA, identified uranium resources total 5.5 million metric tons, and an additional 10.5 million metric tons remain undiscovered—a roughly 230-year supply at today’s consumption rate in total. Further exploration and improvements in extraction technology are likely to at least double this estimate over time.”

The article then goes on to discuss potential improvements in extraction technology.

The views expressed in this Post are those of the author. They are offered to readers for information and general guidance only. They are neither intended to, nor should be taken to, constitute economic or investment advice. No check of data underlying articles or comments referenced herein has been made, and no responsibility is taken for them.  See Legal Disclaimer.

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