China’s largest natural uranium project has produced its first barrel of uranium, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s push toward sustainable and smart mining. The “National No.1 Uranium” demonstration project, located in Ordos in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, was completed just one year after breaking ground, setting a new record for construction speed.
“This demonstration project is a major achievement in China’s third-generation uranium mining and processing technology,” said Yuan Xu, chairman of China National Uranium Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). “It features key elements of modern uranium mining, including environmental protection, remote control operations, intelligent analysis, and enhanced quality and efficiency.”
By leveraging full-process digitalization and intelligent analysis, the project has made uranium mining more predictable and controllable, according to Yuan. This advancement is expected to pave the way for similar technologies to be applied and rapidly scaled across uranium development in China’s northern basins, supporting the creation of additional large-scale uranium mining bases.
China’s total nuclear power generation capacity—including units in operation, under construction, or officially approved—now ranks first in the world, according to the China Energy Research Society. The successful launch of the “National No.1 Uranium” project signifies a step forward in securing the nation’s energy resources and advancing its technological capabilities in the nuclear sector.
