Global Uranium Production Rebounds Post‑Pandemic

Global uranium production rebounds post-pandemic, with Kazakhstan, Canada, and Namibia emerging as dominant suppliers. The news highlights uranium’s basic properties, isotopes, enrichment levels for power and weapons, and the latest country-wise global supply shares.

Uranium (U) and Global Uranium Supply:

Dimension	Key Details
Elemental Identity	Uranium has symbol U and atomic number 92.
Group	Uranium is grouped under actinides.
Occurrence	Uranium is found in rocks, soil, water, oceans, and even in human bodies.
Radioactivity (Mechanism)	Radioactivity comprises an unstable nucleus, a natural decay process into smaller more stable ones, and energy release as radiation (alpha, beta, gamma) or heat.
Nuclear Power	Nuclear power uses controlled chain reactions of uranium-235 fission in reactors to release heat that is converted into electricity.
Nuclear Weapons	Nuclear weapons use uncontrolled chain reactions that release huge energy instantly, causing destructive explosions.
Natural Uranium Isotopes	Natural uranium exists in 3 main forms: U-234, U-235, and U-238.
Key Fissionable Isotope	U-235 is the key isotope that can undergo fission to release energy and it constitutes 0.72% of natural uranium.
Enrichment (Nuclear Power Plants)	For nuclear power plants, enrichment to 3–4% U-235 is enough to sustain a controlled chain reaction for electricity generation.
Enrichment (Nuclear Weapons)	For nuclear weapons, enrichment must reach 90% U-235, enabling an uncontrolled chain reaction and massive energy release.
Chain Reaction (U-235 Fission)	When a U-235 nucleus splits, it releases 2–3 neutrons that can split more U-235 atoms, creating an exponential reaction that produces huge amounts of energy.
U-238 (Abundance and Properties)	U-238 constitutes 99.3% of natural uranium and is not directly fissionable with slow neutrons, so it cannot sustain a chain reaction on its own.
U-238 (Conversion)	U-238 absorbs neutrons and transforms into Plutonium-239 (Pu-239), which is fissionable and used in reactors and weapons.
U-238 (Non-fuel Applications)	U-238 is used in non-fuel applications due to its density, including armour, projectiles, and radiation shielding.
U-234 (Abundance and Origin)	U-234 is present in trace amounts at 0.005% and is formed as a decay product of U-238.
U-234 (Fission and Enrichment Hazard)	U-234 is radioactive but not fissionable, and during enrichment of U-235, the proportion of U-234 also increases, raising the radiation hazard of enriched uranium fuel.
Th-232 (Properties and Conversion)	Th-232 is a naturally occurring radioactive metal, more abundant in Earth’s crust than uranium, fertile but not fissile, and it absorbs a neutron and converts into Uranium-233 (U-233) which is fissile.
India Link (Thorium)	India has large thorium reserves and thorium is central to India’s 3-Stage Nuclear Programme.
Reprocessed Uranium (RepU)	Reprocessed uranium (RepU) provides for recycling spent nuclear fuel at special plants, with recovered uranium reused as a new type of fuel to reduce waste and extend resources.
Global Uranium Supply (Shares)	Global uranium supply comprises shares from Kazakhstan (39%), Canada (24%), Namibia (12%), Australia (8%), and Uzbekistan (7%).