Uranium: Across the Earth
Resources everywhere, but three countries mine most
What this tab covers How the resource varies with latitude, climate, terrain and geology: the richest and poorest regions and the leading countries.Uranium resources are spread across many continents, but mining is concentrated: Kazakhstan, Canada and Namibia produce three-quarters of the world's uranium, and the ten largest mines supply 62%.
Rich deposits form where geology concentrated uranium, such as sandstone basins suited to in-situ leaching (Kazakhstan), unconformity deposits of exceptional grade (Saskatchewan) and large low-grade ore bodies (Australia, Namibia). Thorium occurs mainly in monazite beach and heavy-mineral sands.
Rich and poor regions
| Region | Resource | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 1,701,600 tU, 29% of world resources (up to USD 130/kgU)3 | high |
| Kazakhstan | 827,500 tU (14%); 23,270 tU mined in 2024, mostly by in-situ leaching3 | high |
| Canada (Athabasca Basin) | 551,700 tU (9%), mostly high-grade unconformity deposits3 | high |
| Southern Africa (Namibia, South Africa) | 392,800 tU and 320,900 tU; Husab and Rossing open pits3 | medium |
| India (thorium) | 850,000 t thorium, the largest identified resource7 | high |
Top countries by uranium mine production 2024 6
| Country | tonnes U |
|---|---|
| Kazakhstan | 23,270 |
| Canada | 14,309 |
| Namibia | 7,333 |
| Australia | 4,598 |
| Uzbekistan (est.) | 4,000 |
| Russia | 2,738 |
| China (est.) | 1,600 |
| Niger | 962 |
| World | 60,213 |
Resources and production diverge: Australia holds the largest resources but mines only about 8% of world output, while Kazakhstan produced about 39% in 2024. In Canada, McArthur River and Cigar Lake together mined 24% of world output. In-situ leaching, which dissolves uranium underground and pumps it up through wells, accounted for 55% of world production.
Thorium occurs mainly in monazite in heavy-mineral sands, and is recovered, if at all, as a by-product of rare-earth production rather than for its own sake.
Sources
- Supply of Uranium World Nuclear Association, 2025
- World Uranium Mining Production World Nuclear Association, 2025
- Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025: Thorium US Geological Survey, 2025