China produces first barrel from its largest natural uranium project

China has produced its first barrel of natural uranium from its largest domestic project, the "National No 1 Uranium" demonstration project, located in the Ordos basin of Inner Mongolia. This milestone, announced by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), marks a significant advancement in unlocking complex sandstone uranium deposits that were previously considered too difficult to develop. Utilizing advanced in situ leaching technology, the project exemplifies a “green, safe, intelligent and efficient” mining approach, supporting China’s goals for enhanced energy security and a greener nuclear power sector. This development represents a strategic shift in China’s uranium production from traditional volcanic and granite deposits in Jiangxi province to the northern regions, particularly Inner Mongolia, where large sandstone-type uranium deposits have been discovered over the past two decades. Unlike richer granite deposits, these sandstone deposits have lower uranium concentrations and were previously uneconomical to exploit. The new in situ leaching method injects a carbon dioxide-oxygen aqueous solution underground to dissolve uranium, which is then pumped