Uranium is mined in 20 countries with a world annual production in the range of 60,000 tons. Just 10 mines in six countries provide over half of the total world production of uranium ore. These six countries produce over 85% of the annual mined uranium in the world.
The McArthur River mine in Saskatchewan, Canada is the largest producing uranium mine in the world with an output of 7686 tons of uranium oxide in 2011. The deposit was discovered in 1988 with full production commencing in the year 2000. It is the largest deposit of high-grade ore on Earth. It is an underground mine operated by Cameco. The McArthur River mine accounts for 14% of the world production of uranium.
The Olympic Dam mine is located in South Australia. It produced about 3353 tons of uranium oxide in 2011. The deposit was discovered in 1975 and started production in 1988. It is an underground mine operated by BHP Billiton. Copper production is the primary purpose of the mine with the uranium oxide a minor by-product of operation. The Olympic Dam mine accounts for 6% of the world production of uranium.
The Arlit mines in north Niger produced around 2726 tons of uranium in 2011. Uranium was first mined in Niger in 1969 by a French company. The Arlit mines are open pit types operated by the Somair and Areva companies. These mines produce about 5% of the annual world uranium production..
The Torkuduk mine is located in Kazakhstan. It is operated by Katco Joint Venture with Areva and it produced 2608 tons of uranium in 2011. It is a in-situ leaching type operation. The mine started production in 2005 at one site and 2007 at a second site. The Torkuduk mine produces about 5% of annual world uranium production.
The Ranger mine is located in the Northern Territory of Australia and it produced 2240 tons in 2011. The deposit was discovered in 1969 and commenced operation in 1980. The first orebody was exhausted in 1995 and a second orebody began producing uranium in 1997. It is currently operated by ERA. It is an open pit type mine and it accounts for 4% of annual world uranium production.
Kraznokamensk is the name of both a mine and a town in eastern Russia near the border with China and Mongolia. The town was constructed to house miners for a deposit discovered in 1963 and uranium production commenced in 1968. It is operated by AtomRedMetZoloto and it produced 2191 tons of uranium oxide in 2011 by underground mining. The waste produced by the mine has created the largest amount of uranium mine tailings in the world and seriously contaminated areas of the town. Kraznokamensk accounts for about 90% of Russian uranium production and about 4% of annual world uranium production.
The Budenovskoye 2 mine is located in southern Kazakhstan. It is operated by Karatau Joint Venture of the Russian company Kazatomprom and the Canadian company Uranium One and it produced 2175 tons of uranium in 2011. It is an in-situ leaching type operation. The mine started production in 2007 and produces about 4% of annual world uranium production.
The Rossing mine is located in Namibia in south Africa on the Atlantic coast. It is a low grade orebody that produced 1822 tons in 2011. A 70% share is owned by the Rio Tinto company. It is one of the largest open pit uranium mines in the world and it produced about 4% of annual world uranium production.
The Budenovskoye 2 mine is located in southern Kazakhstan. It is operated by Karatau Joint Venture of the Russian company Kazatomprom and the Canadian company Uranium One and it produced 2175 tons of uranium in 2011. It is an in-situ leaching type operation. The mine started production in 2007 and produces about 4% of annual world uranium production.
The Inkai and South Inkai mines in Kazakhstan together produced 3150 tons of uranium in 2011 by in-situ leaching. They each produce about 3% of annual world uranium production.
Uranium mines in 14 other countries produce the remaining 15% of the annual world uranium production.
Aerial view of the McArthur River uranium mine by Scott Prokop:
