Safe, environmentally friendly, cost effective
In-Situ Recovery (ISR) offers a minimally intrusive, eco-friendly, and economically competitive approach to mineral extraction. It’s a proven, successful technique for extracting uranium, utilized in the United States in Texas, Nebraska and Wyoming. Unlike traditional mining, ISR utilizes wellfield technology to extract uranium from ISR-amenable, sandstone- hosted deposits. In the United States, 99% of the groundwater used in the extraction process is returned to the aquifer (a non-potable groundwater source due to the existing uranium), and the land and water is returned to its original use category. The NRC has stated that there has never been an incident of the contamination of drinking water from the ISR process.

Why In-Situ Recovery?
Since its appearance in the 1960s, ISR technology has grown in use globally and evolved significantly. Today, it’s a controllable, safe, and benign uranium production method that is highly regulated in the United States. ISR is highly regulated for operations and worker safety involves fewer risks to workers than other energy sectors. Additionally, the uranium is extracted through liquid solutions rather than through direct handling.
Today, ISR accounts for about 60% of global uranium production. Some nations, like Kazakhstan and Australia, still employ strong chemicals like sulfuric acid for extraction. Most companies in the United States opt for a mix of oxygen and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in the local groundwater, which extracts uranium with minimal environmental impact and at a near-neutral pH and provides for a full reclamation.
ISR operations are designed with multiple layers of protection to prevent contamination of groundwater. The solution used in ISR is typically a mild alkaline solution, and the process is carefully monitored to ensure that it does not migrate beyond the ore zone.
The energy requirements for ISR are lower than those for traditional mining methods, leading to reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The decreased need for heavy equipment and transportation also contributes to a smaller carbon footprint
ISR sites can be restored, allowing for the land to be returned to its natural state or repurposed for other uses after the operation concludes. Once an ISR operation is complete, the groundwater and land are restored to their previous condition and use categories. ISR facilities use less water than conventional mining and return 99% of the water used during operations to the original aquifer and back to its original state and purpose.
ISR can be economically viable in areas with lower ore grades where traditional mining would not be feasible. This allows for the development of uranium resources that might otherwise remain untapped. In addition, ISR is generally more cost-effective due to lower capital and operational costs.
ISR projects often face fewer regulatory hurdles and shorter permitting times because of the reduced environmental impact. This can accelerate the timeline from discovery to production.
ISR minimizes surface disturbance, minimizes water consumption, and does not have waste dumps or tailings piles. ISR uses wellfields to extract uranium from underground ore deposits without the need for open pits or underground mines.
How Does It Work?
In-Situ Recovery (ISR) is a mineral extraction technology which injects a water-based lixiviant solution into the ground to extract minerals from the earth without conventional mining techniques and minimal use of groundwater.


ISR Plant in Texas
ISR Satellite Facility at Wellfield
ISR uranium extraction usually takes place in sandstone deposits, within a portion of the aquifer that the government has exempted from protection as an underground source of drinking water due to its mineral content preventing its use as a source of drinking water, such as uranium, radium, and other minerals. An ISR wellfield is developed using a series of production patterns that are made up of a series of injection and recovery wells. The injection well introduces the lixiviant, made up with native groundwater that is fortified with oxygen and sodium bicarbonate, to the uranium bearing sandstone. As the lixiviant is injected through the uranium bearing sandstone, the uranium is solubilized by the oxygen in the lixiviant, and the uranium-bearing lixiviant is carried through the sandstone to the recovery well. Recovery wells pump the mineral-carrying solution back to the surface where it is taken to a processing facility to be separated and ultimately, becomes U3O8, or yellowcake. ISR has been safely used around the world for over 50 years with minimal environmental impact. Once an ISR operation is complete, the groundwater and land are restored to their previous condition and use categories.
