In the 1950s, the USA had a great deal of uranium mining, promoted by federal subsidies. Peak production was 16 800 tU in 1980, when there were over 250 mines in operation. This number abruptly dropped to 50 in 1984, when 5700 tU was produced, and then there was steady decline to 2003, with most US uranium requirements being imported. By 2003 there were only two small operations producing a total of well under 1000 tU/yr, though more recently the sector has recovered, buoyed by higher uranium prices, so that in 2008 no fewer than 15 mines (ten underground and five ISL) operated for at least part the year and produced 1500 tU.

Cameco operates the Smith Ranch-Highland mine in Wyoming and the Crow Butte mine in Nebraska, both of them ISL operations. Uranium One operates the Christiansen Ranch ISL mine in Wyoming. Mestena Uranium’s Alta Mesa ISL plant in South Texas is also operational.

Conventional (non-ISL) uranium mining has returned to the USA after many years. One company, Denison Mines, operates mines on the Colorado Plateau and the Daneros mine in Utah. The ore is processed at its White Mesa mill in south-eastern Utah. Several other projects are under development, though some projects and mines have been put on standby pending market improvements.