<P> As uranium prices fell, producers began curtailing operations or exiting the business entirely, leaving only a few actively involved in uranium mining and causing uranium inventories to shrink significantly . Since 1990 uranium requirements have outstripped uranium production . World uranium requirements have increased steadily to 171 million pounds of yellowcake in 2014 . </P> <P> However several factors are pushing both industrialized and developing nations towards alternative energy sources . The increasing rate of consumption of fossil fuel is a concern for nations lacking in reserves, especially non-OPEC nations . The other issue is the level of pollution produced by coal - burning plants, and despite their vastness, an absence of economical methods for tapping into solar, wind - driven, or tidal reserves . Uranium suppliers hope that this will mean an increase in market share and an increase in volume over the long term . </P> <P> Uranium prices reached an all - time low in 2001, costing US $7 / lb . This was followed by a period of gradual rise, followed by a bubble culminating in mid-2007, which caused the price to peak at around US $137 / lb . This was the highest price (adjusted for inflation) in 25 years . The higher price during the bubble has spurred new prospecting and reopening of old mines . In 2012 Kazatomprom and Areva were the top two producing companies (with 15% of the production each), followed by Cameco (14%), ARMZ Uranium Holding (13%) and Rio Tinto (9%). </P> <P> Following the shutdown of many nuclear power plants after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011, demand had fallen to about 60 kilotonnes (130 × 10 ^ lb) per year in 2015 with future forecasts uncertain . </P>

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