Despite efforts to increase sales of uranium abroad, in 1997 Russian exports to the European Union countries dropped from 33% to 23% and amounted to the equivalent of only about 3636 t U308. Russia’s share of the European market, already restricted by quotas, declined further as a result of the emergence of suppliers from Central Asia, primarily Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. While there was an overall reduction of uranium deliveries from the CIS countries from 43% to 33%, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan managed to retain their 10% share of the market, largely because they have some of the world’s biggest reserves, over which the Europeans are hoping to win control.
In 1997 Russia delivered 18 t of weapons-grade uranium (equivalent to 6760 t of natural uranium) to the US, and about 2200 t were supplied to Eastern Europe.
