Construction starts on China's largest natural uranium production project. [Photo provided to investordos.goinnermongolia.com.cn]

Construction started on China's largest natural uranium production project – National Uranium No 1 Demonstration Project – on July 12 in Ordos, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

The project involves a total investment of 1.5 billion yuan ($206.40 million). It will be China's largest natural uranium production base with the country's highest standards.

The project will adopt an advanced mining process that employs carbon dioxide and oxygen leaching. Unlike traditional underground mining methods, this technique can extract uranium through the closed-loop circulation of the uranium solution without lifting the ores to the surface for processing.

Through this approach, natural uranium production can achieve zero emissions of water, gas and solid waste, promoting sustainable operations with low carbon emissions.

This uranium mining method is designed to minimize damage to the surface mining landscape, eliminate the production of tailings and waste rock, and avoid groundwater contamination. The entire mining process adheres to environmentally friendly practices so that local residents can continue grazing their sheep and cultivating crops on the grassland while uranium is being mined.