Uranium Energy Corp (NYSE: UEC) has officially turned the taps on at its Burke Hollow project in South Texas, marking the first time a new in-situ recovery (ISR) uranium mine has commenced operations in the United States in over a decade. The milestone follows a green light from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, moving the project from a 2012 grassroots discovery into a full-fledged production phase.
The startup is a pivotal moment for UEC, which now stands as the only domestic producer operating two active hub-and-spoke ISR platforms. While Burke Hollow serves as a primary extraction site, the recovered material is transported to the Hobson Central Processing Plant, a facility licensed to churn out up to 4 million pounds of uranium annually.
This operational ramp-up arrives at a time of renewed political and market enthusiasm for domestic nuclear fuel. Energy Secretary Chris Wright characterized the achievement as a foundation for American energy dominance, while Texas Governor Greg Abbott lauded the project for solidifying the state’s role as a global energy leader.
For UEC, the timing is particularly lucrative. The company maintains a 100% unhedged production strategy, meaning it is positioned to capture the full upside of rising uranium prices without being locked into older, lower-priced contracts.
The Burke Hollow site itself is sprawling, covering roughly 20,000 acres, yet UEC has explored only about half of that territory so far. This suggests a long runway for growth as the company continues to develop additional wellfields. CEO Amir Adnani noted that the startup is part of a broader staged growth strategy, with the Ludeman ISR project in Wyoming slated to join the production line in 2027.
Despite all the positive commentary from officials alongside UEC’s CEO, details on the operation are rather scarce. Burke Hollow is estimated to contain 6.15 million pounds of U3O8 on a measured and indicated basis, and a further 4.88 million pounds on an inferred basis, yet the size of the operation in terms of expected production is unclear. 129 injection and recovery wells are said to have been field tested, however production rates were not disclosed.
The Hobson Central Processing Unit meanwhile is intended to be the hub for five satellite ISR project areas within the Texas Uranium Belt, three of which are permitted, including Burke Hollow.
Uranium Energy Corp last traded at $13.11 on the NYSE American.
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