Uranium Prices Surge To 16-Year Highs Due To Supply Uncertainties, Rising Demand For AI Data Centers
Uranium Prices Surge To 16-Year Highs Due To Supply Uncertainties, Rising Demand For AI Data Centers
Long-term uranium contract prices have surged to over 16-year highs, driven by supply uncertainties and increasing demand, as the industry scrambles to prepare for powering AI data centers. Other factors, such as supply chain disruptions, geopolitical uncertainties, and environmental mining restraints, contribute to the situation.
長期鈾合同價格已經飆升至16年來的最高點,供應不確定性和需求增加推動了這一情況,因爲行業板塊爭相爲驅動人工智能數據中心做準備。其他因素,如供應鏈破壞、地緣政治不確定性和環保礦業限制,也爲此貢獻了力量。
Term prices for uranium now hover around $79 per pound, the highest since 2008, with further increases anticipated in the coming months.
目前鈾期價維持在每鎊79美元左右,是自2008年以來最高水平,並預計在未來幾個月進一步上漲。
"With a stronger market environment, we're currently locking in ceilings of about $125-130/lb and floors at about $70-75/lb in market-related contracts," said uranium miner Cameco (NYSE:CCJ), per a Reuters report.
鈾礦商Cameco (NYSE:CCJ) 參考一份路透報告稱:“在更強的市場環境下,我們目前正在鎖定每鎊大約125至130美元的上限和每鎊70至75美元的市場相關合同的下限”。
Over the past year, spot uranium prices have risen nearly 88%, reaching a 14-year high of about $82 per pound in February 2024. The rapid increase in spot prices began in 2022, with a notable 41% rise to $49.81 per pound.
過去一年,現貨鈾價格已經上漲近88%,在2024年2月達到了每鎊82美元的14年高點。現貨價格的快速上漲始於2022年,價格飆升41%至每鎊49.81美元。
Now read: Alaska Energy Metals CEO: Nickel Demand Will Increase '23 Times By 2035′
現在閱讀:阿拉斯加能源金屬CEO:鎳的需求將在2035年增加23倍
The demand for uranium is anticipated to grow substantially. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has predicted that nuclear generation could almost double by 2050 due to the global push for clean energy. This would necessitate a corresponding doubling of uranium supply, which seems challenging given the current market conditions.
預計鈾的需求將大幅增長。國際能源署(IEA)預測,由於全球推行清潔能源,核發電量到2050年幾乎會增加一倍。這將需要相應增加鈾的供應量,但考慮到當前市場條件,這似乎很具挑戰性。
They estimate that uranium prices need to be at least 30% higher than the current marginal production cost of $90-$100 per pound to incentivize new projects, suggesting that supply shortages may persist over the next decade.
他們估計,鈾價格需要至少比現行每鎊90-100美元的邊際生產成本高出30%,才能激勵新項目,這意味着供應短缺可能在未來十年持續存在。
According to a May 2024 Goldman Sachs Research report, global data center power demand, which currently accounts for 1-2% of total electricity consumption, is expected to grow by 160% by 2030. Such a surge, accompanied by the push for clean energy, is a positive catalyst for a higher share of nuclear power in the energy grid and, consequently, the demand for uranium.
根據高盛(Goldman Sachs)2024年5月的研究報告,全球數據中心的用電需求目前佔總用電量的1-2%,預計到2030年將增長160%。這樣的激增伴隨着對清潔能源的推動,將成爲能源網格中更高比例的核電和因此鈾的需求的積極催化劑。
Australia's recent decision to ban mining at the Jabiluka site, one of the world's largest high-grade uranium deposits, doesn't help the supply side. The Jabiluka deposit, discovered in the early 1970s, has been central to legal and cultural disputes between Indigenous custodians and mining companies. However, the Australian government announced the extension of Kakadu National Park to include the Jabiluka site, effectively prohibiting any future mining activities.
澳大利亞最近決定禁止在Jabiluka礦區開採,該礦區是全球最大的高品位鈾礦之一,這並沒有幫助供應方。Jabiluka礦牀是在20世紀70年代發現的,一直是土著監護人和礦業公司之間的法律和文化爭議的核心。但是,澳大利亞政府宣佈將卡卡杜國家公園擴建到Jabiluka礦區,從實質上禁止任何未來的採礦活動。
Energy Resources of Australia (OTCPK: EGRAF), a company majority-owned by Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO), previously held mining leases at Jabiluka.
能源資源公司(Energy Resources of Australia,OTCPK:EGRAF)是力拓(Rio Tinto,NYSE:RIO)的大股東,此前持有Jabiluka的採礦許可證。
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