ORBIS

Resource · Energy

Uranium

Uranium fuels nuclear power plants, which supplied 8.9% of world electricity in 2025. Kazakhstan mines the most, at 39% of world output in 2024. Russia's Rosatom has 43% of world enrichment capacity. The United States, the largest consumer, banned imports of Russian enriched uranium in 2024.

Updated October 2026 · Data from the World Nuclear Association and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency

Lumps of bright yellow uranium concentrate, known as yellowcake
Yellowcake, the uranium concentrate that mines sell. Photo: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, public domain.
Mined in 2024
60,213 t
of uranium
Largest miner
39%
23,270 tonnes
Enrichment in Russia
43%
of world capacity, 2025
Largest user
28%
of what reactors need
Nuclear power
8.9%
of world electricity, 2025

Which countries mine the most uranium?

Kazakhstan produced 39% of the world's uranium in 2024, rising to about 40% in 2025. Canada mined 24% and Namibia 12%. Kazakhstan's state company Kazatomprom runs joint ventures with Chinese, Russian and other foreign partners who take much of the output under offtake deals. Kazatomprom cut its 2025 production plan, citing sulfuric acid shortages and construction delays.

In Canada, Cameco's Cigar Lake and McArthur River are the world's two largest uranium mines.

World map shaded by each country's share of uranium mining in 2024. Kazakhstan is the lightest, then Canada and Namibia.

Share of world uranium mine output, 2024

  1. Kazakhstan38.6%
  2. Canada23.8%
  3. Namibia12.2%
  4. Australia7.6%
  5. Uzbekistan6.6%
  6. Russia4.5%
  7. Everyone else6.7%
  • Under 1%
  • 1%–5%
  • 5%–10%
  • 10%–25%
  • Over 25%
  • No production

Who enriches uranium?

Russia's Rosatom holds 43% of world enrichment capacity, even though Russia mines under 5% of uranium. Before mined uranium can fuel most reactors, it is converted into a gas and then enriched, which concentrates the part of the uranium that reactors burn. The United States banned imports of Russian low-enriched uranium in a law signed on May 13, 2024. Case-by-case waivers end on January 1, 2028. Russia restricted enriched uranium exports to the United States on November 15, 2024.

In 2025, Russia still supplied 26% of the enrichment services US reactor operators bought.

From mine to reactor fuel

Share of the world at each step

Mining60,213 t, 2024
Russia 4.5%Namibia 12%Australia 7.6%
ConversionOutput, 2022
EnrichmentCapacity, 2025
France 11%
Mining: World Nuclear Association, 2024. Conversion: output by company, 2022. Enrichment: capacity by company, 2025 (Urenco has plants in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and the US).

Who uses the most uranium?

The United States needs the most uranium, at 28% of world reactor requirements in 2025. China uses 20% and France 12%. China has 64 reactors operating and 39 under construction, nearly half of the 81 being built worldwide. China's State Council approved eight more on July 31, 2026.

In 2025, US reactor operators got their uranium mainly from Canada (32%) and Kazakhstan (28%).

What the world's reactors need

Share of uranium requirements, 2025

  1. United States28%
  2. China20%
  3. France12%
  4. Russia9%
  5. South Korea7%
  6. Japan3%
  7. India3%
  8. Canada2%
Share of the 68,920 tonnes of uranium the world's reactors need in 2025. World Nuclear Association.

What is uranium used for?

Uranium is used almost entirely for making electricity in nuclear power plants. Small amounts produce medical isotopes in about 220 research reactors across 56 countries. Over 160 naval ships run on nuclear reactors, most of them fueled with uranium from existing military stocks.

The uranium spot price reached about $106 a pound in January 2024, a 17-year high. By late September 2026, the spot price stood at about $90 a pound.

What uranium does

How much it takes

  • 1 pelletof uranium fuel, the size of a fingertip, holds as much energy as a tonne of coal
  • 211 tof mined uranium fuels a 1,000 MW reactor for a year
  • 8.9%of the world's electricity came from nuclear power in 2025
  • 500 tof uranium from Russian warheads became US reactor fuel, 1993 to 2013
World Nuclear Association; Ember, Global Electricity Review 2026.

Which country has the most uranium?

Australia holds the largest identified uranium resources at 29% of the world total but mines under 8% of annual output. Kazakhstan mines far more than its 14% share of resources.

Niger holds 6% of resources. Niger's military government nationalized the Somair mine in June 2025. The mine had been majority-owned by France's Orano. In September 2025 a World Bank tribunal ordered Niger not to sell the mine's uranium. As of April 2026 more than 1,000 tonnes of yellowcake sat on trucks in Niamey.

Resources against mining

Share of resourcesShare of mining
  1. Australia29%7.6%
  2. Kazakhstan14%39%
  3. Canada9.4%24%
  4. Russia8%4.5%
  5. Namibia6.7%12%
  6. Niger6%1.6%
  7. China5.5%2.7%
  8. South Africa5.5%<1%
Share of the world's 5.9 million tonnes of identified resources that cost less than $130 a kilogram to recover (Red Book 2026, January 2025), and of mine output in 2024 (World Nuclear Association).

Other resources

All 11 resources →
United States 25% Energy Natural gas Qatar's LNG cargoes fell 96% in six months after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. United States 16.1% Energy Crude oil The US pumps 13.6 million barrels a day, more than any other country. China 69% Critical mineral Rare earths China mines 69% of rare earths, refines 85% and makes 94% of the magnets.
7 days free cancel anytime
Get the app