July 1995 
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Distribution Category UC-950 

Uranium Purchases Report 1994 

July 1995 

Energy Information Administration 

Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels 

U.S. Department of Energy 

Washington, DC 20585 

This report was prepared by the Energy Information Administration. the independent statistical and analytical agency within the Department of 

Energy. The information contained herein should not be construed as advocating or reflecting any policy position of the Department of Energy 

or of any other organization. 

DISTRIBUTION OF WIS 
Preface 

This report is the third in a series of annual publications 

by the Energy Information Administration required by the 

Energy Policy Act of I992 (EPACT 1992), Public Law 

102-486 (October 24, 1992), Subtitle B, 42 USC 0 

2296b-4 Section 1015 of P.L. 102-486, which provides 

that: 

... the owner or operator of any civilian nuclear power 

reactor shall report to the Secretary (of Energy), acting 

through the Administrator of the Energy Information 

Administration, for activities of the previous fiscal 

year- 

(1) the country of origin and the seller of any 

uranium or enriched uranium purchased or 

imported into the United States either directly or 

indirectly by such owner or operator; and 

(2) the country of origin and the seller of any 

enrichment services purchased by such owner or 

operator. 

This information is required to be made available to the 

Congress annually. Data reported by domestic nuclear 

utility companies in their responses to the 1991 through 

1994 "Uranium Industry Annual Survey," Form EIA-858, 

Schedule B,"Uranium Marketing Activities," are provided 

in response to the requirements in the EPACT 1992. 

ii 

The Appendix contains an explanation of Form EIA-858 

survey methodologies with emphasis on the processing of 

Schedule B data. 

Information published in this report are U.S. utility 

purchases of uranium and enrichment services by origin 

country and seller. Also, this report contains a glossary of 

terms and additional purchase information covering 

average price and contract duration. 

This report was prepared in the Office of Coal, Nuclear, 

Electric and Alternate Fuels by the Analysis and Systems 

Division. General information regarding this publication 

may be obtained from John Geidl (202/254-5570), 

Director, Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate 

Fuels: Robert M. Schnapp (202/254-5392), Director, 

Analysis and Systems Division; or 2. D. Nikodem 

(202/254-5550), Branch Chief, Nuclear Fuel Cycle 

Branch. Specific questions regarding the preparation and 

content of this report should be directed to the following: 

Doug Bonnar on 202/254-5560 

Dbonnar @ EIA.DOE.GOV 

or 

Charles Johnson on 202/254-5568 

Cjohnson @ EIA.DOE.GOV. 

.i 

Energy Infomation Administration/ Uranium Purchases Report 1994 
Uranium Purchases Report 1994 

Uranium Purchases by U.S. Utilities 

During 1994, the owners and operators of U.S. civilian 

nuclear electric generating units took delivery of 38.3 

million pounds U308 equivalent (U308e) under purchase 

contracts from suppliers (Table 1). Of the delivered total 

of 38.3 million pounds, natural uranium' accounted for 

35.7 million pounds (93 percent) and enriched uranium 

accounted for 2.6 million pounds (7 percent). The 31 

firms that supplied the uranium to the utilities under these 

contracts are shown in the following list. Twelve of the 

31 firms (designated with an asterisk) made deliveries 

under new purchase contracts in 1994. 

Uranium Sellers to U.S. Utilities 

Albuquerque Uranium Corporation 

B & W Fuel Company 

British Nuclear Fuel Ltd. (BNFL)* 

Cameco Corporation* 

China Nuclear Energy Industry Corp. (CNEIC) 

COGEMA, Inc. 

Energy Fuels Exploration Company 

Energy Fuels Corporation* 

Energy Fuels Limited 

Energy Resources of Australia* 

Everest Exploration, Inc. 

Geomex Minerals, Inc.* 

Global Nuclear Supply Service Ltd.* 

Malapai Resources Company 

Nuexco Trading Corporation* 

NUKEM, Inc.* 

Olympic Dam Corporation 

Pathfinder Mines Corporation 

Power Resources, Inc. 

R & D Energy Resources* 

Rio GrandeMuclear Fuels 

RTZ Minerals Services Limited 

Sheep Mountain Partners 

Siemens Nuclear Power Corporation 

Toral Minerals Corporation 

U.S. Energy Corporation 

UG U.S.A., Inc.* 

Uranerz Exploration & Mining Ltd.* 

Urangesellschaft Mbh 

Uranium Resources, Inc.* 

Westinghouse Electric Corporation 

Of the 38.3 million pounds U,O,e delivered to U.S. 

utilities in 1994, deliveries under spot-contract purchases 

accounted for 8.5 million pounds at an average price of 

$9.01 per pound; short-term contract purchases totaled 

4.5 million pounds at an average price of $8.14 per 

pound; medium-term contract purchases accounted for 

9.4 million pounds at an average price of $9.84 per 

pound; and long-term contract purchases totaled 15.8 million pounds at an average price $1 2.13 per pound. Some 

long-term contracts were signed in the 1970's: 

Of the 38.3 million pounds U308e delivered to U.S. 

utilities in 1994 at an average price of $10.40 per pound, 

7.7 million pounds (20 percent) were of U.S. origin at an 

average price of $12.08 per pound. Non-U.S. origin 

uranium accounted for 30.6 million pounds (80 percent) 

of the deliveries at an average price of $9.97 per pound. 

Some of this material was in the United States and not 

imported in 1994. The top seven origin countries in 

descending order by quantity for non-U.S. origin uranium 

are shown in the list below. 

Top Seven Non-US. Average Price 

Origin Countries ($ per Ib. U,O,e) 

Canada 

Uzbekistan 

Australia 

Kazakhstan 

Russia 

China 

South Africa 

10.49 

8.35 

9.88 

8.94 

8.81 

9.56 

9.64 

'Natural unnium is uranium concentrate (U,O,i and uranium hexafluoride (UFJ. 

'Spot conmct-A one-time delivery of the enthe contract quantity to occur within 1 year of contract execution. Short-term-contract-One or more deliveries to occur 

over a period of less than 3 years following contract execution. Medium-term con!mct-One or more deliveries to occur over a period of 3 to 6 years following contract 

execution. Long-term contnct4ne or more deliveries to occur after a period of a least 6 years following contract execution. 

Energy Information Administration/ Uranium Purchases Report 1994 

-_ - ~ - __ 

1 
Table 1. U.S. Utility Purchases of Uranium and Enrichment Services, 1994 

I 

Origin Country 

Total ............................................ 

By origin country: ............. Australia 

Brazil 

Canada 

China 

France 

Gabon 

Germany 

Mongolia 

Namibia 

Netherlands 

NISe Total 

Kazakhstan 

Kyrgyzstan 

Russia 

Tajikistan 

Ukraine 

Uzbekistan 

South Africa 

Spain 

United Kingdom 

United States 

Deliveries 

Purchases from 

Suppliers 

Units 

38,281 37,608 9,197 

2,812 

W 

14,613 

1,696 

W 

W 

W 

W 

796 

__ 8,665 

2,777 

W 

1,779 

W 

W 

3,550 

1,106 

0 

W 

7,718 

2,880 

W 

14,868 

1,429 

W 

W 

W 

W 

804 

__ 6,308 

3,470 

W 

1,764 

0 

W 

71 5 

1,195 

W 

W 

8,522 

a CNEIC (China Nuclear Energy Industry Corp.) enrichment plant, Lanzhou Province, Peoples Republic of China. 

' Urenco enrichment plant, Gronau. Germany. 

a NIS = Newly Independent States ' Techsnabexport (Tenex) enrichment plants, Angarsk, Russia; Ekaterinburg, Russia; Krasnoyarsk. Russia; and Tomsk, 

' USEC enrichment plants, Paducah. Kentucky and Portsmouth, Ohio. 

Eurodif enrichment plant, Georges Besse, France. 

Urenco enrichment plant, Almelo. Netherlands. 

AEC (Atomic Energy Corporation of South Africa, Ltd.) enrichment plant, Valindaba, South Africa. 

Urenco enrichment plant, Capenhurst, United Kingdom. 

W = Withheld to avoid disclosure of company identifiable data. 

- = Not applicable. 

Note: Totals may not equal sum of components because of independent rounding. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-858,"Uranium Industry Annual Survey"(la94). 

Russia. 

U.S. utilities signed 58 new purchase contracts in 1994. 

The quantity of uranium delivered in 1994 under 40 of the 

58 new contracts was 10.7 million pounds U30,e with an 

average price of $8.81 per pound. The remaining 18 are 

new contracts with deliveries that started after 1994. 

In 1994, deliveries associated with new purchase contracts 

accounted for 28 percent of total deliveries. In 1994, 

imports accounted for 15.5 million pounds U,08e or 41 

percent of total deliveries to utilities, compared with 33 

and 50 percent in 1992 and 1993 respectively (Table 2). 

2 

.. 

Energy Information Administration/ Uranium Purchases Report 1994 

.... ,. , .-., '---- - * -- - I' -. 

I.., >- .. 1' -,----. %..I . , .I 

, ., . ~. ,, , ,- 
Cateqorv 

Total ............................................... 

Deliveries 

1991 I 1992 I 1993 1 1994 

Deliveries Under Domestic Purchases (Non4mports)a ..... 

By material type: ............... Natural U,08 

Natural UF, 

Enriched UF, 

By origin country: .............. Australia 

Canada 

China 

France 

Gabon 

Germany 

Mongolia 

Namibia 

Portugal 

NISb Total 

Kazakhstan 

Kyrgyzstan 

Russia 

Ta ikistan 

Uzbekistan 

South Africa 

Spain 

United Kingdom 

United States 

Import Deliveries Under Foreign Purchasesa ............ 

By material type: ............... Natural U,08 

Natural UF, 

Enriched UF, 

By origin country: .............. Australia 

Brazil 

Canada 

China 

Gabon 

Germany 

Mongolia 

Namibia 

NEb Total 

Kazakhstan 

Kyrgyzstan 

Russia 

Ukraine 

Uzbekistan 

South Africa 

United Kingdom 

40,947 

26,812 

17,011 

7,458 

2,343 

1,374 

2,943 

1,146 

0 

W 

0 

0 

91 7 

W 

6,824' NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

0 

W 

W 

12,443 

14,135 

12,559 

1,576 

0 

701 

0 

11,793 

W 

W 

W 

0 

0 

W' 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

0 

0 

35,383 

23,572 

17,847 

3,180 

2,546 

W 

5,347 

920 

W 

0 

0 

0 

1,333 

W 

5,831' NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

349 

0 

0 

7,934 

11,811 

10,263 

1,548 

0 

2,245 

0 

7,030 

W 

W 

W 

0 

W 

1,123' NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

W 

0 

31,184 

15,511 

13,024 

2,198 

289 

737 

4,219 

2,127 

0 

W 

0 

0 

0 

0 

3,16$ 

W 

2,285 0 

587 

W 

0 

W 

3,896 

15,673 

11,972 

3,013 

688 

1,040 

0 

9,800 

795 

0 

W 

W 

392 

3,067 W 

W 

1,420 0 

W 

0 

W 

38,281 

22,745 

15,150 

5,498 

2,097 

1,297 

4,622 

1,616 

W 

W 

W 

W 

425 

0 

5,327 976 

W 

762 

W 

3,223 

1,106 

W 

281 

7,718 

15,536 

13,403 

1,613 

520 

1,515 

W 

9,991 

80 

W 

0 

0 

371 

3,338 

1,801 W 

1,017 W 

327 

0 

0 

'US. utilities reported whether that yeah deliveryinvolved importation. If not, the importation of non-US. origin uranium was conducted in a previous 

year. The total quantity of deliveries shown for 1991 through 1994 represents, for each year, the sum for non-import and import purchased deliveries. 

bNIS = Newly Independent States. 

%e name 'Russia' was used to report data for 1991 and 1992. No further breakdown into the newly formed, separate Republics, known now as 

the Newly Independent States, was available. 

W =Withheld to avoid disclosure of company identifiable data. NA = Not available. Note: Totals may not equal sum of components because of 

independent rounding. Source: Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-858, "Uranium Industry Annual Survey." 

Energy Information Administration/ Uranium Purchases Report 1994 

.. --- ................... .- .... ................ 

3 
Uranium Enrichment Feed 

In 1994, utility enrichment feed deliveries by U.S. utilities 

totaled 37.6 million pounds U,O,e shipped to both 

domestic and foreign enrichment suppliers, 7 percent 

above the 1993 level (Table 1). Deliveries consisted of 

8.5 million pounds (23 percent) of U.S. origin and 29.1 

million pounds (77 percent) of non-U.S. origin uranium. 

For non-U.S. origin uranium, the top five origin countries 

in descending order were Canada (51 percent), 

Kazakhstan (12 percent), Australia (10 percent), Russia (6 

percent), and China (5 percent). The remaining 16 

percent of the non-US. origin uranium delivered to 

enrichment plants was from Brazil, France, Gabon, 

Germany, Mongolia, Namibia, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, 

Uzbekistan, South Africa, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Utilities took delivery of 35.7 million pounds 

natural uranium under purchase contracts in 1994, and the 

additional 1.9 million pounds of enrichment feed came 

from inventory withdrawals or deliveries by other transactions such as exchanges or loans. Utility enrichment feed 

deliveries to U.S. enrichers in 1994 totaled 33.5 million 

pounds U30,e (89 percent of total deliveries). Feed 

deliveries to non-U.S. enrichers in 1994 totaled 4.1 

million pounds U30,e (1 1 percent of total deliveries) 

(Table 3). 

Enrichment Services Purchased by U.S. 

Utilities 

The amount of separative work units (SWU) purchased by 

U.S. utilities under enrichment service contracts that were 

delivered in 1994 was 9.2 million SWU (Table 1). The 

10 firms that were named as the sellers of enrichment 

services for these SWU deliveries in 1994 are shown in 

the following list. 

Enrichment Service Sellers to U.S. Utilities 

B & W Fuel Company 

COGEMA, Inc. 

Global Nuclear Supply Service, Ltd. 

Nuexco Trading Corporation 

NUKEM, Inc. 

Siemens Nuclear Power Corporation 

UG U.S.A., Inc. 

Uranium Exchange Company 

United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) 

Urenco 

Eighty-two percent of the enrichment was conducted at 

U.S. enrichment plants under the United States Enrichment Corporation operation. The remaining enrichment 

for U.S. utilities was performed by CNEIC, Eurodif, 

Tenex, and Urenco.6 

‘CNEXC (China Nuclear Energy Industry Corporation). Peoples Republic of China. Eurodif, a consortium of Cogema, 37 percent ; Sofidif, 25 percent (Cogima 60 

percent and OIAETI (Iran) 40 percent); Synatom (Belgium) and Enusa (Spain), 11 percent each; and ENEA and AGIP (both Italy), 8 percent each. operates the Georges 

Besse gasews diffusion plant at the Tricastin site in France. Cogema handles sales and marketing of Eurcdif products and services, excluding sales to Eurodif partners. 

Tenex (Techsnabexport) utilizes four gas centrifuge technology plants at Ekaterinburg, Angarsk, Krasnoyarsk. and Tomsk in Ru.sia. The four plants are owned by 

The Ministry of Atomic Energy of the Russian Federation Winatom). Urenco is a consortium created by treaty between Germany, the Netherlands. and the United 

Kingdom. Urenco. Ltd.. is the holding company for gas centrifuge plants locared at three wholly-owned subsidiaries: Urenco (NL). Almelo. The Netherlands; Urenco 

0). Gmnau, Germany; and Urenco (UK). Capenhurst, United Kingdom. British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL.), in the United Kingdom, Ultra-Centrifuge Nederland N.V. 

(Urn in the Netherlands, and Umit Gmbh in Germany are equal shareholders in Urenco, Ltd. 

4 

.. ., , 

Energy Information Administration/ Uranium Purchases Report 1994 

.I 

’ . , *.. ... , ~ , . .. - ., ,. , _I . -~- . . I . 

. : ,, - 
Category 

Enrichment Feed Deliveries (Total)" .................. 

Deliveries 

1991 1992 1993 1994 

To US. DOENSEC (Total)b ....................... 

US. Origin Uranium (Total) .................... 

Non-US. Origin Uranium (Total) ................ 

By origin country: ........... Australia 

Brazil 

Canada 

China 

France 

Gabon 

Germany 

Mongolia 

Namibia 

NEC Total 

Kazakhstan 

Kyrgyzstan 

Russia 

Uzbekistan 

Portugal 

South Africa 

Spain 

United Kingdom 

To Non4J.S. Enrichers (Total)' .................... 

U.S. Origin Uranium (Total) ......................... 

Non-U.S. Origin Uranium (Total1 ..................... 

37,992 

33,852 

11,711 

22,141 

2,641 

0 

1 1,327 

W 

W 

W 

0 

0 

W 

3,176d 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

0 

W 

0 

W 

4,140 

2,120 

2,020 

32,045 

27,622 

9,077 

18,545 

1,784 

0 

8,984 

W 

W 

W 

0 

0 

W 

5,l 46d 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

W 

662 

0 

W 

4,423 

1,048 

3,375 

35,100 

32,362 

7,731 

24,631 

1,463 

0 

11,168 

W 

W 

W 

W 

0 

735 

5,748 

457 

0 

5,072 

0 

0 

1,123 

W 

W 

2,738 

55 

2,683 

37,608 

33,498 

8,471 

25,027 

2,880 

W 

13,870 

1,379 

W 

W 

W 

W 

804 

3,373 

2,041 

0 

992 

340 

0 

1,119 

W 

W 

4,110 

51 

4,059 

aThe total quantity of Utility Enrichment Feed Deliveries shown for 1991 through 1994 represents, for each year, the sum of materials shipped for 

?he total quantity for 1991 through 1994 shipped to USDOE or USEC represents, for each year, the sum of U.S. Origin Uranium and Non-U.S. Origin 

'NlS = Newly Independent States. 

%le name 'Russia' was used to report data for 1991 and 1992. No further breakdown into the newly formed, separate Republics, known now as 

&le total quantity for 1991 through 1994 shipped to Non-U.S. Enrichers represents, for each year, the sum of US. Origin Uranium and Non-U.S. 

W = Withheld to avoid disclosure of company identifiable data. NA = Not available. 

Note: Totals may not equal sum of components because of independent rounding. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-858, "Uranium Industry Annual Survey." 

enrichment to United States Department of Energy (USDOE) andlor United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC), and to Non-U.S. Enrichers. 

Uranium. 

the Newly Independent States, was available. 

Origin Uranium. 

Energy Information Administration/ Uranium Purchases Report 1994 5 

- -- ~ -- ~~-----__I___-___~______._~~ .~ ~ . . 
.. 

.. .. 
Appendix 

Survey Methodology 

Survey Design. 

Form EIA-858, “Uranium Industry Annual Survey,” was 

used to collect information from all companies known or 

believed to have been involved in the U.S. uranium 

industry during 1994. Included in this survey are domestic 

utilities that own and/or operate nuclear power reactors. 

The 1994 survey form was mailed to respondents in 

January 1995, and was due back in March 1995. Respondents to the “Uranium Industry Annual Survey” were 

asked to provide data current to the end of 1994 about 

their Uranium Raw Materials Activities (Schedule A) and 

Uranium Marketing Activities (Schedule B). 

In particular, Schedule B covers: uranium transaction 

parameters including name of the other party; type of 

transaction; uranium materials covered; origin for the 

uranium materials, conversion and enrichment services, 

delivery destination; importation and exportation; pricing 

mechanism; schedule of uranium deliveries with corresponding prices; uranium inventories; materials shipped 

for enrichment; projected enrichment feed deliveries; 

unfilled market requirements; and the amount of enrichment services and loaded fuel assemblies by U.S. utilities. 

Quantities of uranium reported are as equivalent U,O, 

rounded to the nearest thousand pounds. 

The data collected on Form EIA-858 are subject to several 

sources of error. These sources are: (1) coverage (the 

respondent frame might not be complete or, on the other 

hand, there might be double counting); (2) nonresponse 

(all units surveyed might not respond or might not provide 

all the information requested); (3) respondents (respondents might commit errors in reporting the data); (4) 

processing (the data collection agency might omit or 

incorrectly transcribe a submission); (5) concept (the data 

collection elementsmight not measure the items they were 

intended to measure); and (6) adjustments (errors might 

be made in estimating values for missing data). 

Because the “Uranium Industry Annual Survey” is a 

universe survey rather than a sample survey, samplin 

errors do not affect the data provided in this report. 

Although it is not possible to present estimates of nonsampling error, precautionary steps were taken at each 

stage of the survey design and operation to minimize the 

possible occurrence of these errors. These steps are 

described below, and the errors they were designed to 

minimize are named (in parenthesis). 

9 

Survey Universe/Frame (Coverage Errors) 

The survey universe includes all nuclear utilities involved 

in the U.S. uranium industry. The criteria for responding 

to Schedule B are firms that during 1994 (1) held existing contracts covering the sale, purchase, exchange, loan, 

loan repayment, or custody of uranium or entered into 

similar new contracts; (2) held inventories of uranium in 

any form excluding reactor-inserted, fabricated fuel; (3) 

maintained an uranium-inventory policy; (4) made actual 

deliveries of uranium feed materials to any enrichment 

supplier; andor (5) purchased enrichment services. 

The respondent list used for the Form EIA-858 survey 

was developed from a frame of all establishments known 

to meet the selection criteria. The frame of potential 

respondents was compiled from previous surveys and 

from information in the public domain. As it specifically 

relates to Schedule B, the frame was intended to cover the 

following: all utilities owning nuclear-fueled generating 

stations, fuel converters and fabricators, and utilities with 

whole or partial ownership in operating or planned 

uranium-fueled power plants. 

7Sampling error is a measure of the variation that occurs by chance because a sample rather than a complete enumeration of units is surveyed. 

Energy Information Administration/ Uranium Purchases Report 1994 7 

. - __ - - I_ _I_ __ __ . _- -_ __~__-_ - _l___l___ - - - 
Survey Procedures (Nonresponse) 

The survey forms were sent by first class mail to ensure 

their receipt only by the proper respondent organization. 

If the U.S. Postal Service was unable to deliver the survey 

form, the corrected address was obtained where possible. 

All nuclear utilities currently conducting business in the 

U.S. uranium industry were contacted during this survey. 

The Form EIA-858 is a self-administered questionnaire 

requesting data about many areas of company operations. 

The scope of the questions is necessarily broad, and selfreporting of company-specific data are required. 

Cooperation from industry on the 1994 survey was, as in 

previous years, excellent. A large number of respondents 

returned the completed form within the specified deadlines. Those that had not responded by the due dates were 

telephoned to encourage submission of the forms, and 

those calls resulted in the submission of most of the 

remaining forms. In addition, a followup letter was mailed 

to nonres- pondents requesting compliance with the 

survey. Subsequently, telephone calls were made to 

obtain forms not yet submitted. In some instances, 

company data were modifidcollected through telephone 

conversations made to clarify items reportedomitted on 

their submissions. To reduce the reporting burden on the 

respondents, data for contracts and selected other data 

elements from the prior year‘s survey form were preprinted on each respondent’s 1994 survey. 

Data Editing, Analysis, and Processing 

(Respondent and Processing Errors) 

The survey forms were logged in and reviewed by agency 

personnel prior to data entry into the Uranium Industry 

Annual System, an automated data base containing all 

current and historical data from each company’s submission. The data base is maintained on the EIA computer 

facility in Washington, DC. After entry into the data base, 

a copy of each Schedule B was distributed to the Analysis 

and Systems Division analyst for review and approval. 

The submissions were checked for internal consistency, 

and the reported data were compared with previous 

collections of similar data. After reviewing the submissions, the analyst consulted with the reporting company, 

as needed, to resolve data problems and to confirm any 

corrections of the data. Data areas that were reviewed and 

the corrections that were made differed from company to 

company. Most represented differing interpretations of the 

data item definitions. Computer edits were also used to 

identify keypunch errors, out-of-range values, and unlikely data combinations. These edits either were corrected to represent the data reported on the submissions or 

were changed only after confirming the corrected values 

by telephone conversations with company representatives. 

Data coding and entry errors were eliminated by proofing 

data after entry. All changes to data were documented. 

Response Rates 

Schedule B of Form EIA-858 was mailed to 89 firms and 

to the Office of Uranium Programs (NE!-30), U.S. Department of Energy, and to the United States Enrichment 

Corporation (USEC). All of the schedules that were 

mailed to nuclear utilities, to NE-30, and to USEC were 

returned (100 percent response) with information as 

requested on the form. Of course, not all Schedule B data 

items were applicable to each responding utility, to NE30, or to USEC. 

Missing Data 

Omissions of data identified during the prescreening and 

editing of the data fell into two categories: (1) data that 

were withheld because of contractual constraints, or (2) 

because particular data were unknown. Respondents were 

contacted regarding omissions to verify that the data could 

not be reported. Only confirmed company data are 

contained in the data base and included in this report. 

Nondisclosure of Data 

To protect the confidentiality of individual respondents’ 

data, a policy was implemented to ensure that the reporting of survey data in this report would not associate those 

data with a particular company. This policy is in compliance with EIA Standard No. 88-05-06, “Nondisclosure of 

Company Identifiable Data in Aggregate Cells.” In tables 

where the nonzero value of a cell is composed of data 

from fewer than three companies or if a single company 

dominates a table-cell value so that the reporting of the 

value would lead to identification of a company’s data, 

then the EIA classifies the cell value as “sensitive,” and 

the cell value is withheld (“W’) from the report. Within 

a table with a sensitive cell value, selected values in other 

cells of the table are also withheld, as necessary, so that 

the sensitive cell value cannot be computed using the 

values in published cells. 

8 Energy Information Administration/ Uranium Purchases Report 1994 

.-. 
Enrichment Feed Deliveries: Uranium that is shipped 

under contract to a supplier of enrichment services for 

use in preparing enriched uranium product to a specified 

usU concentration and that ultimately will be used as 

fuel in a nuclear reactor. 

Enrichment Services: See Separative Work Units 

(SWu). 

Price: The quantity-weighted average of the prices paid 

for deliveries of uranium purchases. 

Purchases of Uranium: The amount of uranium 

material that is delivered during a survey year as reported on the Form EIA-858, “Uranium Industry Annual 

Survey” (UIAS), as purchases of either uranium ore, 

U,O,, natural uF6, or enriched UF,. The amount of 

uranium material under other types of contracts reported 

on the WAS, Le., loans and exchanges, is excluded. 

Separative Work Units (SWU): The standard measure 

of enrichment services. The effort expended in separating a mass F of feed of assay xf into a mass P of product 

assay xp and waste of mass W and assay xw is expressed 

in terms of the number of separative work units needed, 

given by the expression SWU = WV(xw) + PV(xp) - FV(xf), where V(x) is the “value function,” defined as 

V(x) = (I - 2x) In(( 1 - x)/x). 

Uranium: A heavy, naturally radioactive, metallic 

element (atomic number 92). Its two principal1 occurring isotopes are 235U and 238U. The isotope ”’ U is 

indispensable to the nuclear industry because it is the 

only isotope existing in nature to any appreciable extent 

that is fissionable by thermal neutrons. The isotope 238U 

is also important because it absorbs neutrons to produce 

a radioactive isotope that subsequently decays to the 

isotope 239Pu, which also is fissionable by thermal 

neutrons. 

o Concentrate: A yellow or brown powder produced 

from naturally occurring uranium minerals as a 

result of milling uranium ore or processing uraniumbearing solutions. Synonymous with yellowcake, 

U,Os, or uranium oxide. 

o Enriched Uranium: Uranium in which the 235U 

isotope concentration has been increased to greater 

than the 0.71 1 percent 235U (by weight) present in 

natural uranium. 

o Uranium Hexafluoride (UF,): A white solid obtained 

by chemical treatment of U,O,, which forms a vapor 

at temperatures above 56 degrees Centigrade. uF6 is 

the form of uranium required for the enrichment 

process. 

Uranium Oxide: Uranium concentrate or yellowcake. 

Abbreviated as U,O,. 

Energy Information Administration/ Uranium Purchases Report 1994 9 

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