Uranium
The fuel of nuclear power. Hyperscalers have signed agreements to restart and build reactors to power AI.
Nuclear power purchase agreements and small modular reactors are a growing source of firm, carbon-free power for AI data centers.
Added to the US critical list in 2025; USGS does not collect uranium data. Russia banned enriched uranium exports to the US in 2024.
Who calls it critical
Membership on each government list. “Strategic” marks a higher tier where the list has one; “group” means included as part of a group such as rare earths or PGMs.
Uranium: key questions
- Where is uranium mined or produced?
- Country-level production data for Uranium is limited or withheld in USGS statistics.
- Is uranium a critical mineral?
- Uranium appears on 4 of the 10 official lists we track (United States, China, Japan, Canada).
- Is uranium in short supply?
- Our supply status: Watch. Added to the US critical list in 2025; USGS does not collect uranium data. Russia banned enriched uranium exports to the US in 2024.
- Why does uranium matter for AI infrastructure?
- Nuclear power purchase agreements and small modular reactors are a growing source of firm, carbon-free power for AI data centers.
Related minerals
ExplorerPhosphate & Phosphorus
WatchPhosphate rock feeds the world's fertilizers; refined phosphorus is used in LFP batteries, flame retardants and as a semiconductor dopant.
Potash
WatchPotassium salts that fertilize the world's crops. Canada, Russia and Belarus dominate supply.
Metallurgical Coal
AdequateCoking coal used to make the coke that reduces iron ore to steel. Added to the US list in 2025 and listed by the EU.