Leading uranium consuming countries worldwide 2020

In 2020, the United States was the largest uranium consuming nation worldwide, using a total of 18,300 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 is generally extracted through open-pit and underground mines, however, with advances in technology, alternative methods such as in-situ leach mining have become more prominent.

Uranium production & consumption worldwide

Uranium consumption is the highest in the United States, France, and China. However, Kazakhstan and Australia are among the top producers of uranium with around 19,500 metric tons and 6,200 metric tons produced in 2020, respectively. Australia has some of the largest known recoverable uranium resources in the world with some 2.05 million metric tons as of 2020.