Geological aspects of uranium deposits for in-situ leaching application to develop energy potential of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is among the top ten countries – holders of the largest uranium resources in the world. The main uranium deposits were discovered in the late 1970s and, then, in the mid-1990s. This article describes the geological aspects of the uranium deposits in Kazakhstan with a view to using the in-situ leaching method toward development of the energy potential of the country. In total burning out of 1 kg of uranium enriched to 4%, the energy release is equivalent to combustion of 100 t of high-grade coal (1.5 carload) or 60 t of oil (1 fuel truck). Uranium fission liberates neutrons which collide with the other uranium nuclei and split them. Uranium decay products and neutrons possess high kinetic energy and, when they collide with other atoms, this energy is converted into heat.