Uranium is produced or able to be produced in six U.S.
states: Wyoming. Texas, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Utah. However, current production is limited to three states: Wyoming , Texas, and Utah. It is
produced at in-situ leaching plants and uranium mills. Currently, there are
seven in-situ leaching plants in operation and one uranium mill in operation,
the White Mesa Mill in Utah. The increase in domestic uranium production was
spurred by sustained higher uranium prices. The mill also produces rare earth
minerals and vanadium. It expects to continue to focus on uranium production in
the future. Total U.S. uranium production in the fourth quarter of 2024 alone
was higher than the total annual production for each of the years in 2019–23.
The EIA notes:
“Uranium concentrate has commercial uses as the fuel for
civilian nuclear reactors and in medical applications. Uranium concentrate must
be processed in conversion and enrichment facilities before being fabricated in
fuel rods or pellets at fuel fabrication plants. These fuel rods or pellets can
then be loaded into civilian nuclear reactors.”
Fourth-quarter 2024
“U.S. production of uranium concentrate (U3O8) in the
fourth quarter of 2024 totaled 375,401 pounds U3O8, more than triple the third
quarter production of 121,296 pounds U3O8. This quarter’s total uranium
production occurred at seven facilities, four in Wyoming (Nichols Ranch ISR
Project, Lost Creek Project, Ross CPP and Smith Ranch-Highland Operation), two
in Texas (Alta Mesa Project and Rosita), and one in Utah (White Mesa Mill).”
References:
U.S.
uranium production in 2024 was highest in six years. Energy Information
Administration. April 2, 2025. U.S. uranium
production in 2024 was highest in six years - U.S. Energy Information
Administration (EIA)
Domestic
Uranium Production Report – Quarterly Data for 4th Quarter 2024. Release Date: March 13, 2025. Domestic Uranium
Production Report - Quarterly - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
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