The events characterizing the world uranium market in the last several years illustrate the persistent uncertainty faced by uranium producers and consumers worldwide. With world nuclear capacity expanding and uranium production satisfying only about 60 per cent of demand, uranium stockpiles continue to be depleted at a high rate. The uncertainty related to the remaining levels of world uranium stockpiles and to the amount of surplus defence material that will be entering the maket makes it difficult to determine when a closer balance between uranium supply and demand will be reached. Information in this report provides insights into changes expected in uranium supply and demand until well into the next century.

The "Red Book", jointly prepared by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency, is the foremost reference on uranium. This world report is based on official information from 59 countries and include compilations of statistics on resources, exploration, production and demand as of 1 January 1997. It provides substantial new information from all of the major uranium producing centres in Africa, Australia, Eastern Europe, North America and New Independent States, including the first-ever official reports on uranium production in Estonia, Mongolia, Russian Federation and Uzbekistan. It also contains an international expert ananlysis of industry statistics and worldwide projections of nuclear energy growth, uranium requirements and uranium supply.