Top 10 countries with world’s largest uranium reserves; who is at top?

 

Australia possesses the world’s largest uranium reserves. Their volume is estimated at approximately 1.67 million tons. This accounts for roughly 28 per cent of the total global uranium reserves currently in existence.

Kazakhstan holds the world’s second-largest uranium reserves. It possesses 813,900 tons of uranium, representing 14 percent of the global uranium reserves.

Canada holds the world’s third-largest uranium reserves. The volume of uranium held by Canada is estimated at 582,000 tons. Some of the world’s highest-quality uranium ores are found in Canada.


Namibia possesses the world’s fourth-largest uranium reserves. It is estimated to hold 497,900 tonnes of uranium. This accounts for approximately 8 percent of global uranium reserves.

Russia holds the world’s fifth-largest uranium reserves. It possesses 476,600 tonnes of uranium.

Niger holds the world’s sixth-largest uranium reserves. According to statistics, Niger possesses approximately 336,000 tonnes of uranium.

South Africa holds the world’s seventh-largest uranium reserves. The quantity of uranium held by the country is estimated at 320,900 tonnes.


China holds the world’s eighth-largest uranium reserves. The total quantity of uranium reserves held by China is estimated at 270,500 tonnes. It also operates uranium mines in several other countries.

Brazil possesses the world’s ninth-largest uranium reserves. The quantity of uranium held by Brazil stands at 167,800 tonnes.

Mongolia holds the world’s tenth-largest uranium reserves. It is estimated to possess uranium reserves totalling 144,600 tonnes.

As of 2026, Australia remains the undisputed leader, holding nearly 28% to 30% of the world's known uranium reserves.

While Australia has the most uranium in the ground, it is important to note that Kazakhstan is actually the world's largest producer, accounting for roughly 40% of the global supply through its low-cost extraction methods.



Top 10 Countries by Uranium Reserves (2026 Estimates)

The following list is based on "Identified Resources," which include both reasonably assured and inferred reserves.

RankCountryEstimated Reserves (tonnes)Global Share
1Australia~1,700,000 – 2,000,000~28%
2Kazakhstan~800,000 – 900,000~14%
3Canada~580,000 – 850,000~10%
4Namibia~470,000 – 500,000~8%
5Russia~480,000~8%
6Niger~330,000~6%
7South Africa~320,000~5%
8China~270,000~4%
9Brazil~170,000~3%
10Mongolia~145,000~2%

Key Insights into the Leaders

  • Australia: Home to the Olympic Dam mine in South Australia, which is the single largest known deposit of uranium in the world. Despite its massive reserves, Australia does not use nuclear power domestically, exporting nearly all of its production.


  • Kazakhstan: Dominates the market through In-Situ Leaching (ISL). This method is cheaper and more environmentally efficient than traditional underground mining, allowing Kazakhstan to remain the most influential player in global uranium pricing.

  • Canada: Known for having the highest-grade ore in the world, primarily in the Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan. The concentration of uranium in Canadian ore is often 10 to 100 times higher than the global average.


Where does India stand?

India ranks approximately 13th globally in terms of uranium reserves, with roughly 170,000 to 180,000 tonnes. While India's uranium reserves are considered "modest" for its large energy needs, the country holds one of the world's largest reserves of Thorium.

This is why India’s nuclear strategy (as of 2026) is heavily focused on the Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme, designed to eventually transition from uranium to thorium-based fuel to achieve long-term energy independence.

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