US uranium output triples as nuclear fuel becomes a defence priority

United States uranium production more than tripled in 2025, reaching its highest level since 2017, as the country moves to strengthen its domestic nuclear fuel supply.According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), US uranium mines produced 2.1 million pounds of uranium concentrate in 2025, up from 657,000 pounds in 2024. Uranium exploration and development drilling also increased during the year, pointing to renewed activity across the domestic mining sector.The rise comes as the US remains heavily dependent on foreign uranium. American nuclear operators purchased 46.9 million pounds of uranium concentrate equivalent in 2025, while only 7 percent of uranium delivered to US reactors was US-origin.The gap highlights the scale of the challenge that Washington is facing. Despite the sharp increase in domestic production, US mines supplied only a small share of the uranium required by the country’s nuclear sector in 2025.