The China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has commenced development on the National Uranium No.1 project in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with operations starting on Friday, as reported by the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA).
According to CAEA, the project’s “key technical indicators are among the best globally,” setting new benchmarks for safety, environmental standards, and operational efficiency. Upon completion, it will boast “China’s largest production capacity” for uranium and significantly bolster the country’s natural uranium supply security. This initiative builds on 30 years of advancements in in-situ uranium mining technology in China.
The project is designed to integrate automation, remote centralized control, and big data analytics, enabling operations from “thousands of miles away” through a single-screen control system. It will feature “one-click uranium mining,” along with “visualization of resource storage, intelligent operation analysis, and precise resource mining.”
Employing CO2 and O2 in-situ leaching, the project will extract uranium using a closed-loop system that recycles the uranium solution, avoiding the need to lift ores to the surface. This method, which CAEA claims minimizes water, gas, and solid waste while reducing carbon emissions, enhances environmental sustainability.
As part of China’s broader nuclear energy development strategy, the project underscores the critical role of natural uranium in the nuclear fuel cycle. With global nuclear energy capacity expanding, the demand for uranium is expected to rise. Currently, China has 56 operational reactors with a total capacity of 54.36 GWe. Additionally, 27 reactors are under construction, adding another 29 GWe, with numerous others at various planning stages.
According to the World Nuclear Association’s data on China’s nuclear fuel cycle, China aims to meet its uranium needs through a balanced strategy: producing one-third domestically, securing another third through foreign equity in mines and joint ventures abroad, and purchasing the remaining third on the open market.
