Nuclear
The Race to Build the World's Next Great Uranium Mine w/ Leigh R. Curyer
Publication: Decouple
Author: Dr. Chris Keefer
Source published: 12/11/2026, 12:00:00 UTC
Briefing created: 12/11/2026, 12:55:57 UTC
Based on the episode description, not a full transcript. Source evidence retrieved 12/11/2026, 12:54:23 UTC.
Briefings
Leigh Curyer founded NexGen Energy after Fukushima to exploit the western Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, where he discovered the high-grade Arrow uranium deposit. NexGen aims to produce roughly 20% of global mined uranium and over half of Western production, with an estimated annual output of 30 million pounds from a small underground operation. The podcast explores construction risks, engineering constraints, capital costs, and Curyer's unconventional contracting strategy.
Key points
- Leigh Curyer founded NexGen Energy after Fukushima to exploit the western Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan.
- The Arrow deposit is estimated to produce 30 million pounds of uranium annually from a small underground operation.
Context
Following the Fukushima disaster, nuclear energy faced global scrutiny, prompting Curyer to bet on uranium instead. The Athabasca Basin's geology makes Arrow exceptionally valuable, potentially reshaping the global uranium market with a single mine supplying a significant portion of Western production.
Limitations
Evidence covers only the discovery and initial exploration phase; production timelines, specific capital cost figures, and future price forecasts remain unverified.
Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 12/11/2026, 12:55:57 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.
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