Uranium Mining Projects in Asia: Status and Outlook

Reference article · Updated 2026-11-06

Key facts

Kazakhstan produced about 23,270 tU in 2024 and about 25,839 tU in 2025, roughly 40% of world output, almost all by in-situ leach.
Uzbekistan's mines all use in-situ leach; output was reported at about 5,200 tU in 2024 and about 7,000 tU in 2025.
Mongolia has no operating uranium mine; the Zuuvch Ovoo project (Orano and state-owned MonAtom) is the most advanced.
China produced 1,956 tU in 2024 and meets a large share of its needs through overseas equity and imports.
Most large Asian uranium operators are state-owned or state-linked, often with foreign joint-venture partners.

A region defined by state-owned operators and in-situ leach

Asia combines the largest single national producer with a set of countries whose domestic mining is small, delayed or politically sensitive. The common feature is the dominant role of the state. Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom, Uzbekistan's Navoiyuran, China's CNNC and India's Uranium Corporation of India Ltd are all state-owned or state-controlled, and Russian mining sits within the Rosatom group.

Technology follows geology. The sandstone deposits of Central Asia and parts of northern China are amenable to in-situ leach (ISL) mining, which dissolves uranium underground and avoids conventional ore handling and tailings. By contrast, India's hard-rock deposits are mined by conventional underground and open-pit methods. Statements about project capacity in this region should be read as plans: timelines have repeatedly slipped, and figures from companies, governments and the OECD-NEA/IAEA Red Book are not always on the same basis.

For the wider context of global supply see uranium by country and the mining map.

Kazakhstan: expansion within a mature ISL system

According to the World Nuclear Association (WNA) country profile, Kazakhstan produced about 23,270 tU in 2024 and about 25,839 tU in 2025, around 40% of world mine output. Kazatomprom's attributable share in 2025 was about 13,519 tU, because much production comes from joint ventures. The company reports operating 27 deposits grouped into 14 mining assets, and a 2026 production outlook of 27,500 to 29,000 tU has been quoted.

Almost all Kazakh output is ISL, and the acid-leach method makes sulfuric acid supply a recurring constraint. The WNA profile cites acid use of 1.85 million tonnes in 2025 and notes that Kazatomprom has been building its own acid plant at Taikonur, with construction partly suspended in 2026.

Notable recent developments reported by the WNA include:

South Tortkuduk, within the Katco joint venture, started production in June 2024 and was fully operational by July 2025.
Zhalpak, within the Ortalyk venture, had its processing plant commissioned in July 2026 with initial capacity of 500 t/yr and a design capacity of 900 t/yr.

Foreign partners include Cameco (40% of Inkai, extended to 2045), Orano (51% of Katco), Russia's Uranium One (50% of the Akbastau and Karatau ventures), CGN of China (49% of Semizbai-U and of Ortalyk) and Japanese interests in several ventures. In December 2024 Uranium One's Zarechnoye stake was reported sold to a Chinese state-owned entity. Shares of Kazatomprom itself have been listed on the Astana and London exchanges since 2018, with 15% placed at the time.

Uzbekistan: rising output and new ISL deposits

Uzbekistan's uranium is mined by Navoiyuran, a state-owned enterprise split from the former Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combinat in early 2022. The WNA reports that all mines now use ISL; underground mining ended in 1990 and open pit in 1994. Output is estimated at roughly 3,500 tU a year through the late 2010s, then about 4,000 tU in 2023, 5,200 tU in 2024 and 7,000 tU in 2025.

Official ambitions have grown. A July 2022 resolution aimed for 7,100 tU by 2030, and in March 2026 the president reportedly set a target of 15,000 tU by 2030. These are policy targets, not forecasts.

Project	Status reported by WNA
Qizilkok	Commercial production from April 2026; planned 1,200 tU/yr over 15 years
South Djengeldi (Nurlikum Mining)	First phase about US$214 million; about 500 tU/yr average, peak about 700 tU/yr
Arnasay	Feasibility study ordered December 2025
Meylisay	Construction suspended in 2013 owing to high carbonate content

Nurlikum Mining is held by Orano (45%), Navoiyuran (45%) and the Japanese trading house Itochu (10%, since March 2025). A 2009 venture with China's CGN, Uz-China Uran, has shown no reported activity since 2013.

Mongolia: large resources, no operating mine

The WNA states that there is currently no uranium mining in Mongolia, although a large project is being developed at Zuuvch Ovoo. Uranium was produced at Dornod until 1995 by Russian interests, about 535 tU in total from open-pit mining between 1988 and 1995.

The Red Book 2026 figures quoted by the WNA give about 144,620 tU in reasonably assured and inferred resources. The three largest deposits are Zuuvch Ovoo (about 93,291 tU), Dornod (about 24,780 tU) and Gurvanbulag (about 13,058 tU).

Zuuvch Ovoo (Sainshand): developed by Badrakh Energy, a 2017 venture of Orano and state company MonAtom. Orano has proposed about 2,500 tU/yr over 30 years, with production possibly from 2028. In January 2025 Orano signed an investment agreement with the Mongolian government.
Gurvanbulag: owned by CNNC International; a feasibility study indicated 700 tU/yr for nine years, but the WNA reports the licence and joint venture were still pending in the 2015-2017 sources it cites.
Dornod: Dornod Uran, 51% MonAtom and 49% Russia's ARMZ, was agreed in 2010; the earlier licence holder Khan Resources won an arbitration award that was settled in 2016.

Mongolia's 2009 Nuclear Energy Law lets the state take an uncompensated stake of at least 51% where public funds found the deposit, and at least 34% otherwise. Some details above date from 2015-2017 and should be rechecked before use.

China: modest domestic mines, large overseas equity

China's stated goal is to source about one-third of its uranium from domestic mines, one-third from foreign mines in which it holds equity and one-third from the open market. The WNA, citing the Red Book 2026, reports domestic production of 1,956 tU in 2024. CNNC, through China National Uranium Corporation, is the only current domestic supplier, with nominal capacity of about 1,700 tU/yr.

The main operating mines named by the WNA are ISL operations at Yining in Xinjiang (since 1993), Tongliao (since 2015) and Erenhot (since 2022) in Inner Mongolia, and the older underground heap-leach mine at Shaoguan in Guangdong (since 1967). Exploration has concentrated on ISL-amenable sandstone in Xinjiang and the Ordos Basin of Inner Mongolia, where some uranium is interbedded with coal.

Overseas, Chinese entities hold interests in Namibia (Husab, Rössing and a stake in Langer Heinrich; see uranium mining in Africa), Kazakhstan and, historically, Niger. This pattern is an important part of how China secures supply.

India and Russia's Asian deposits

India's identified resources were reported as 363,198 tonnes in situ at January 2025 in the Red Book, at costs up to US$260/kgU, a high-cost category. Mining is carried out by Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) in Jharkhand (Jaduguda, Banduhurang, Turamdih, Mohuldih) and Andhra Pradesh (Tummalapalle, where alkaline leaching has been used since 2012). Several projects have met local opposition or approval delays, including Lambapur-Peddagattu in Telangana and Domiasiat in Meghalaya, where the state cancelled UCIL's lease in 2016. Gogi in Karnataka is planned at about 127 tU/yr.

Russia's Asian uranium lies in Transbaikalia, Buryatia and Yakutia. The WNA lists Khiagda in Buryatia, an acid ISL operation in permafrost, as the leading Russian producer in 2024 at 1,103 tU. The ageing Priargunsky underground mine is being replaced by Mine No. 6, now targeting first production in 2030, and the Elkon deposit in Yakutia, with about 303,600 tU of recoverable resources, has been repeatedly deferred. Russian mine output was 2,738 tU in 2024.

How to read project status claims

Announcements in this sector mix several categories that are easily confused: licensed and producing mines, projects under construction, projects with feasibility studies, and resource estimates. Resource figures from the Red Book depend on cost category and are not reserves. Political and financing risks, acid supply, and permitting regimes can change a project's timetable by years. Readers should treat dates for first production as targets and look for the latest regulator or operator statement. See how resources and reserves are defined for the classification terms used here.

Frequently asked questions

Which Asian country produces the most uranium?

Kazakhstan, which the World Nuclear Association reports produced about 23,270 tU in 2024 and about 25,839 tU in 2025, around 40% of world production.

Is there uranium mining in Mongolia?

No mine is currently operating, according to the World Nuclear Association. Zuuvch Ovoo, developed by Orano and the state company MonAtom, is the most advanced project, with production possibly from 2028.

Why is Uzbekistan's output rising?

Navoiyuran has brought new ISL deposits such as Qizilkok into production and the government has set ambitious targets. Reported output rose from about 4,000 tU in 2023 to about 7,000 tU in 2025.

How much uranium does China mine domestically?

The Red Book 2026, cited by the World Nuclear Association, reports 1,956 tU in 2024. China also relies on equity in overseas mines and on imports.

Does India mine uranium by in-situ leach?

The Indian operations described by the World Nuclear Association use conventional underground and open-cut mining, with alkaline leaching of the ore at Tummalapalle rather than ISL of the deposit.