Uranium Designated as a US Critical Mineral in the 2025 USGS List: Three Things You Need to Know Now About this Landmark Action

On November 7, 2025 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, issued its Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals, including uranium among four minerals that were not on the August 26, 2025 draft list.  For those involved in the US nuclear fuel supply chain, here are 3 things you need to know now about this designation:

1. Designation Confirms that Uranium is Essential to the US Economy and its National Security:

The USGS Critical Minerals List serves as a foundational document for American industrial and defense strategy. Its fundamental purpose is to identify minerals that are essential for national security, economic stability, and supply chain resilience. These designated minerals are recognized as the bedrock of key industries, drivers of technological innovation, and the support structure for the critical infrastructure vital to a modern American economy. The core rationale for the list stems from the significant vulnerabilities created by reliance on foreign mineral sources. As the USGS Notice states, “The United States’ dependence on imports and the vulnerability of supply chains raise the potential for risks to national security, defense readiness, price stability, and economic prosperity and resilience.”  The list is therefore a key component of a national strategy aimed at mitigating these risks by securing domestic mineral supply chains and facilitating domestic production.

Uranium demand has increased significantly in the last few years, driven by renewed interest in nuclear power.[1] Artificial intelligence (“AI”) is seen as an important strategic asset and requires large amounts of energy, and many see nuclear power as being a core source of that energy.[2] Uranium was included on the initial 2018 final list of 35 critical minerals.[3] However, it was removed in the 2022 final list of 50 critical minerals due to its classification as a fuel mineral under the Energy Act of 2020 (Section 7002), which excludes fuel materials like uranium from the definition. However, Section 7002(c)(4)(C) of the Energy Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to consult with other department secretaries to obtain their recommendations for materials to include. The Department of Energy recommended including uranium.[4] And the inclusion of uranium in the 2025 List follows Executive Order 14154 (“Unleashing American Energy”), which directed the USGS to reconsider uranium’s inclusion, alongside additions like copper, silver, metallurgical coal, potash, rhenium, silicon, and lead.[5]

2. Designation Provides Tangible Benefits to the US Uranium Industry

The designation of uranium as a “critical mineral” is far more than a simple label; it is a formal recognition that aligns uranium with pressing national priorities. For the domestic uranium industry, this designation unlocks five core strategic benefits by formally recognizing its importance to the nation’s security and economic well-being:

1. Elevated Strategic Importance: Inclusion on the list formally recognizes uranium “as essential for national security, economic stability, and supply chain resilience.”[6] This official validation elevates the industry’s profile from a commercial enterprise to a strategic national asset. This status provides a powerful mandate in policy discussions and national planning, formally cementing its role in the country’s long-term strategic calculus.

2. Alignment with National Security and Defense Mandates: The Notice cites the Department of Energy’s recommendation to include uranium as a critical mineral due to uranium’s importance in “energy, and defense,” which provides an unambiguous link between the mineral and the nation’s industrial and defense apparatus.[7] This direct alignment positions the domestic uranium industry as a key partner in strategic readiness and national security infrastructure.

3. Catalyst for Securing Domestic Supply Chains: The primary goal of the Critical Minerals List is to “guide strategies to secure the Nation’s mineral supply chains.” Uranium’s inclusion on this list is a clear signal of federal intent to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign sources thereby mitigating the risks of potential supply disruptions. This focus provides a strong justification for policies and initiatives aimed at strengthening and expanding the domestic uranium supply chain from mining and milling all the way through to conversion and enrichment.
4. Prioritization for Domestic Production Support: The official notice affirms that “the United States is taking actions to facilitate domestic mineral production.”[8] By being officially designated as critical, the domestic uranium industry is positioned as a primary candidate for these federal facilitation efforts and support mechanisms. The designation serves as a prerequisite for prioritization in government-led efforts to bolster domestic resource development.
5. Influence on Future Government Policy and Strategy: The 2025 List is explicitly designed to “guide strategies to secure the Nation’s mineral supply chains” across the government.[9] Consequently, uranium’s critical status will now inherently influence future government policy, strategic planning, and investment decisions. This includes considerations related to energy independence, defense stockpiling, and the development of next-generation energy and defense infrastructure, ensuring the domestic supply of uranium remains a key factor in these deliberations.

3. Designation Could Lead to Several Key Changes for the US Nuclear Fuel Supply Chain Industry

Having a mineral designated as critical by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides industries with targeted support to address supply vulnerabilities, fostering long-term stability and growth. Based on USGS analyses and federal policy frameworks, here are the five primary benefits:

1. Enhanced Supply Chain Resilience and Risk Mitigation: The U.S. nuclear fuel supply chain industry should expect to gain access to detailed USGS assessments of supply chain vulnerabilities, enabling proactive planning for disruptions. This includes the modeling by USGS of over 1,200 trade scenarios across 400+ industries to quantify economic impacts, helping companies identify risks and build more robust sourcing strategies.[10]
2. Access to Federal Investments and Funding: Listing may qualify uranium for direct government investments in domestic mining, processing, and resource recovery (e.g., from mine waste). This supports expansion of U.S.-based production, reducing import reliance and stabilizing costs for downstream users in sectors like defense and clean energy.
3. Potential Tax Incentives and Financial Relief: Critical minerals are sometimes eligible for tax credits and incentives under laws like the Energy Act of 2020, lowering operational costs for exploration, extraction, and manufacturing. This encourages innovation and efficiency, particularly for high-value applications in semiconductors and electric vehicles. Participants in the U.S. nuclear fuel supply chain should explore whether that is the case for uranium.
4. Accelerated Permitting and Regulatory Processes: Projects involving critical minerals benefit from streamlined federal permitting under initiatives like the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI). This can reduce development timelines, enabling faster project deployment and minimizing delays for industries dependent on timely mineral access.
5. Strategic Stockpiling and Resource Allocation: The designation informs national stockpiles and scenario planning, ensuring prioritized reserves during shortages. Industries can leverage this for better resource allocation, substitute material R&D, and collaboration with federal agencies, ultimately safeguarding production continuity and economic contributions from minerals-based sectors.

The inclusion of uranium on the 2025 USGS Critical Minerals List is a landmark development. The potential benefits described above represent a fundamental shift in the strategic landscape for the domestic uranium industry. The designation was not a result of routine methodological updates but was driven by specific executive directives and a direct national security-based recommendation from the Department of Energy. The benefits are substantial and far-reaching, including elevated strategic importance and alignment with defense mandates to prioritization for domestic supply chain support. Ultimately, this designation formally aligns the domestic uranium industry with the highest strategic priorities of the United States and signals a more assertive federal posture in securing supply chains critical to defense and energy independence.

About Foley’s Energy & Infrastructure Sector

Foley’s cross-disciplinary Energy & Infrastructure team of more than 200 attorneys regularly represents clients in the traditional and renewable power, oil & gas, nuclear, and infrastructure and energy transition industries. Foley offers comprehensive legal services for nuclear energy companies and projects to guide clients through every phase – from development and site control to investment, commercial contracting and financing. Foley can also assist companies involved in the nuclear fuel supply chain – including mining,  processing, and disposal – to navigate the various state and federal regulations, international agreements, and national security considerations.