China has marked a significant milestone in its domestic uranium production with the “National No.1 Uranium” demonstration project successfully yielding its first barrel of uranium. Announced on Saturday, July 12, 2025, by the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), this achievement signals a new phase in the country’s pursuit of sustainable and intelligent uranium extraction.
Project Overview and Strategic Importance
Situated in Ordos, North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the “National No.1 Uranium” project stands as China’s largest natural uranium production base in terms of capacity. Its successful operation is expected to substantially boost China’s ability to independently secure strategic energy resources. Natural uranium is a crucial strategic resource and a fundamental component of the nuclear fuel cycle, underpinning the nation’s rapidly expanding nuclear power generation capacity. According to the China Energy Research Society, China currently holds the top global rank in total nuclear power generation capacity, considering operational, under-construction, and approved plants. The project’s launch also signifies a strategic shift in China’s uranium production focus from the central Jiangxi province to the northern regions.
Advanced Technology and Rapid Development
The “National No.1 Uranium” project represents a major advancement in China’s third-generation uranium mining and processing technology. Yuan Xu, chairman of China National Uranium Co., Ltd., a CNNC subsidiary, highlighted that the site incorporates essential aspects of modern uranium mining. These include a strong emphasis on environmental safeguards, remote-controlled operations, intelligent monitoring, full-process digitalization, and improvements in efficiency and quality. The project notably employs in situ leaching, a “green, safe, intelligent, and efficient” approach to uranium extraction that eliminates the need for traditional tunnels and reduces toxic waste.
Furthermore, the project has set a national record for construction speed. Having commenced construction in July 2024, it achieved production within just one year, showcasing a remarkable pace of development. This efficiency was partly attributed to modular and standardized construction, which enabled an assembly-line approach to the building process, according to Su Xuebin, chief engineer of China National Uranium Co. (CNUC).
Future Implications
The advanced technologies and methodologies deployed in the “National No.1 Uranium” demonstration project are slated for widespread application across other uranium-rich northern basins in China, including Songliao, Eren, and Ili. This strategic expansion aims to accelerate the development of additional large-scale uranium mining operations, further solidifying China’s domestic uranium supply to meet the growing demands of its nuclear energy sector. The successful rollout of this project is seen as heralding a new era of green, safe, smart, and efficient uranium development within China’s 70-year history of nuclear geology and mining.
