Knowledge Nugget | Uranium and India’s nuclear future: Why domestic mining matters

2. Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive element. There are three natural isotopes of uranium — uranium-234 (U-234), uranium-235 (U-235) and uranium-238 (U-238). It is the fission of U-235 atoms, which produces nuclear energy. But natural uranium typically contains only 0.72 per cent of U-235 and most reactors need a higher concentration of this isotope in their fuel.

(Infographic credit: A. Vargas/IAEA website)

3. Therefore, before natural uranium is used for producing energy, it goes through a process called enrichment. This process increases the U-235 concentration, which is essential to sustain an efficient chain reaction in most nuclear reactors. The three main types of enrichment technologies include gaseous diffusion, gas centrifuge, and laser enrichment.

4. Low-enriched uranium (generally less than 20 per cent U-235) is largely used to generate energy in commercial nuclear reactors. However, highly enriched uranium is largely used in the defense sector and nuclear weapons.

5. The global distribution of Uranium is uneven, with reserves concentrated in a few regions. According to current estimates, the world has a total of 5,925,700 tonnes of known reserves of uranium. Australia holds the largest share of 1,671,200 tonnes, which accounts for 28 per cent of total reserves. It is followed by Kazakhstan (8,13,900 tones), Canada (5,82,000 tonnes), Namibia (4,97,900 tonnes) and Russia (4,76,600 tonnes).

6. In 2024, Kazakhstan produced the largest share of uranium from mines (39 per cent of the world supply), followed by Canada (24 per cent) and Namibia (12 per cent). Together, these three countries contribute about three-quarters of the world’s uranium production.

What is the significance of uranium for India’s nuclear programme?

1. India’s indigenous PHWRs use natural uranium. And their fuel requirements are currently met through a combination of domestic production from state-owned Uranium Corporation of India Ltd mines and imports.

2. Enriched uranium used in the two light water reactor (LWR) variants — Tarapur Nuclear Power Plant and Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant — is entirely imported.

How India shifts from uranium to thorium?

1. India’s nuclear energy programme has three stages. In the first stage, India is using the uranium fuelled Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR). However, India has much less access to uranium than to thorium. Hence, the subsequent stages are designed to transition to using plutonium and thorium.

2. In the second stage, India will use plutonium-based mixed oxide as fuel for the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR). It will also utilise the spent fuel of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors.

3. In the third stage, it seeks to make use of thorium-based Advanced Heavy Water Reactors (AHWR), which utilise thorium to breed uranium. This stage is focused on attaining self-sufficiency.

What are the key recommendations of the Parliamentary Panel?

1.The Centre should come up with a policy roadmap to ensure the participation of mine developer-cum-operator (MDO) in uranium mining, the Parliamentary panel has recommended.

2. It also recommended that any MDO participation in the sector should remain under the strict oversight of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

— Notably, an MDO is a contractor engaged by the mine owner, typically a government or public-sector entity, to develop and operate the mine and undertake mining activities on its behalf.

3. The parliamentary panel also noted that India currently imports uranium from Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Canada, with the long-term supply contract with Uzbekistan valid until 2026. The panel said this would imply continued reliance on imports unless domestic uranium production is accelerated and supply sources are diversified.

4. The panel also sought an update on the government’s plans to secure long-term uranium supplies from Uzbekistan beyond 2026.

5. It also recommended expediting the proposed Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) -NTPC joint venture to acquire stakes in overseas uranium assets to diversify supplies and reduce exposure to supply disruptions and market risks.

6. The panel sought a comprehensive report from the DAE on the timelines for the UCIL–NTPC joint venture and plans for future fuel sourcing and the proposed framework for MDO participation in domestic uranium mining under DAE oversight.

7. The panel also recommended that UCIL upgrade existing mines and mills, expand brownfield capacity at Turamdih, Jaduguda and Tummalapalle, and accelerate new mining centres in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.

8. It also called for greater use of advanced exploration techniques, sensor-based ore sorting, mine automation and improved beneficiation to raise head grades and lower costs.

BEYOND THE NUGGET: Thorium and Plutonium

1. Alongside uranium, thorium and plutonium are other nuclear materials that are considered security resources due to their dual-use in both civilian energy generation and nuclear weapons development. Thus, let’s know about the Thorium and Plutonium.

2. Thorium is a naturally occurring nuclear substance and is more abundant than uranium. It exists in nature in a single isotopic form – 232TH.

3. Thorium is not fissile and cannot sustain a nuclear chain reaction alone. It is considered ‘fertile’: upon absorbing a neutron, it gets converted into uranium-233, which is fissile and can produce energy through fission.

4. In comparison to uranium and thorium, plutonium is mainly produced in nuclear reactors from uranium 238 by neutron capture. Plutonium has five “common” isotopes – Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu-240, Pu-241, and Pu-242 – and all of these are “fissionable”. 

5. However, Plutonium-239 contains the highest quantities of fissile material, and is notably one of the primary fuels used in nuclear fuel and weapons. Also, Pu-238 is used in deep-space missions as it emits steady heat from natural radioactive decay.

Post Read Question

Consider the following statements with reference to uranium:

1. Natural uranium contains a higher proportion of U-235 than U-238.

2. Uranium-235 is the principal fissile isotope responsible for sustaining the fission chain reaction in nuclear reactors.

3. India’s indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors use natural uranium as fuel.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer Key

(c)

(Sources: Parliamentary panel pushes for entry of mining contractors in uranium mining, How India’s nuclear energy programme transitions from uranium to thorium)

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