Fission and uranium’s macro fundamentals

In what is likely to be upbeat year for Australian mining M&A, some large Asian and U.S. companies are ready to bet on the country's coal, iron ore and uranium assets to meet booming demand for power.

TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2012 /CNW/ - Uranium One Inc. today announced record production of 10.7 million pounds and record sales of 9.9 million pounds for the full year 2011.

Details emerging from investigations into Areva's purchase of African uranium miner UraMin are beginning to resemble a spy novel.

AP reports that the Obama administration is ignoring intense lobbying from the mining industry and political opponents on the right and will formally ban new uranium mining on 1 million acres around the Grand Canyon on Monday. Miners who registered thousands of claims during the final Bush years remain free to push ahead with new projects.

The Obama Administration is expected to announce Monday a moratorium on uranium mining on a million acres near the Grand Canyon, The New York Times is reporting.

A nuclear power plant that was built in the Philippines but was never fueled up nor run is now a key attraction at a beach resort getaway.

A Dutch paper reported on Thursday that France's Areva is eyeing a stake in UK-based uranium enrichment company Urenco.

Cameco (TSX:CCO) (NYSE:CCJ) announced today it has reached the main mine workings with the second shaft at the Cigar Lake uranium mining project in northern Saskatchewan. Miners removed the final section of rock connecting shaft 2 with the mine workings 480 metres below surface on January 3, 2012. The second shaft will provide for increased ventilation of the underground workings as well as additional means of entering and exiting the mine. SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwire - Jan. 3, 2012) -

2011 will go down as the year when the wind fell out of the sails of economic recovery and serious storm clouds gathered on the horizon.