Global uranium consumption 2022, by leading country

In 2022, the United States was the largest uranium consuming nation worldwide, using a total of 18,050 metric tons of uranium.

What is uranium?

Uranium is a heavy metal that occurs in many rocks as well as in sea water. Its high density allows it to be used in the keels of yachts as well as for radiation shielding. However, it is most commonly known for its use as a source of concentrated energy in nuclear power plants. Under specialized nuclear reactors, various radioisotopes of uranium can be produced to use in medicine, food preservation, and industrial agriculture. For example, radioactive chemical tracers can be used in the diagnosis of the human body. Uranium was historically primarily extracted through open-pit and underground mines, however, with advances in technology, alternative methods of producing uranium such as in-situ leach mining have become more prominent.

Uranium production & consumption worldwide

Uranium consumption is the highest in the United States, China, and France, which are the world's leading nuclear energy producers. However, Kazakhstan and Canada are among the top global producers of uranium with around 21,227 metric tons and 7,351 metric tons produced in 2022, respectively. Australia had the largest known recoverable uranium resources in the world as of 2021, with some 1.68 million metric tons, over twice as much as Kazakhstan and about three-times as much as Canada.