Uranium mining is the process of extraction of uranium ore from the ground. Over 50,000 tons of uranium were produced in 2019. Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia were the top three uranium producers, respectively, and together account for 68% of world production.

Uranium mining in the United States produced 224,331 pounds (101.8 tonnes) of U 3 O 8 in 2023, 15% of the 2018 production of 1,447,945 pounds (656.8 tonnes) of U 3 O 8. The 2023 production represents 0.4% of the uranium fuel requirements of the US's nuclear power reactors for the year.

Uranium resources can be extracted from the ground in three ways: open pit, underground, and in-situ leach (ISL). Open pit mining, also known as strip mining, is the removal of surficial soils and uneconomic rock to get at the ore below. Ore grades are normally less than 0.5%.

But it's not as radioactive as uranium-235, the best-known form of uranium used to create nuclear reactions. In this article, we'll chart the uranium mining process, tracking the element as it transitions from ore to fuel pellets ready to be used by nuclear reactors.

2024年1月17日 · In 2022, world uranium mine production came to 58,201 metric tons (MT) of U3O8. Kazakhstan was the top-producing country by far at 21,227 MT, followed by Canada at 7,351 MT and Namibia at...

2024年3月30日 · The largest uranium producer in the United States is ramping up work at a mine less than 10 miles from the rim of the Grand Canyon.

4 天之前 · The Navajo Nation and Energy Fuels Inc., the owner of the White Mesa Mill in Blanding, have reached an agreement for the future transport of uranium ore across the reservation into Utah.

2024年4月4日 · A push for nuclear power is fueling demand for uranium, spurring the opening of new mines. The industry says new technologies will eliminate pollution from uranium mining, but its toxic legacy, particularly in the U.S. Southwest, leaves many wary of an incipient mining boom.

2025年1月27日 · Nuclear reactor - Uranium Mining, Processing: Uranium is extracted from ores whose uranium content is often less than 0.1 percent (one part per thousand). Most ore deposits occur at or near the surface; whether they are mined through open-pit or underground techniques depends on the depth of the deposit and its slope.

5 天之前 · The Navajo Nation has reached a settlement with a mining company that clears the way for transportation of uranium ore across the largest Native American reservation in the U.S.