Paladin Energy saw a 17% jump in uranium production in the March 2025 quarter, which sent its stock price up. The company produced 745,484 pounds of uranium oxide (U3O8) at its Langer Heinrich Mine in Namibia. It’s the highest amount since the mine restarted last year in March.
The company is supplying safe and steady uranium oxide to help the nuclear industry deliver clean and reliable energy to the world. Even though heavy rainfall, which they hail as one of the worst in 50 years, briefly shut down the site and damaged roads, it bounced back quickly.
Notably, it processed over 900,000 tonnes of ore during the quarter and reached a solid 88% recovery rate at its plant. For now, the mine is mainly using ore stockpiled, but is getting ready for full-scale open-pit mining.
Paladin’s Uranium Sales Beat Production, Strong Market Demand
Paladin sold 872,435 pounds of uranium in this quarter, more than it produced. The company earned an average price of US$69.9 per pound. This strong performance was facilitated by the timing of customer deliveries.
It also reported that it had US$127.8 million in cash and access to another US$50 million in loans, giving it plenty of funds to grow its business.
According to a report from Mining Technology shows that in 2025, global uranium production will continue its upward trend and is expected to reach ~ 65 megatonnes (Mt). This represented a year-on-year growth rate of around 9%, driven by increased output from leading producers such as Kazakhstan and Canada.
Kazakhstan topped in uranium production capacity last year, and this massive output came from its largest uranium company, Kazatomprom. Furthermore, the steady ramp-up of Canada’s McArthur River uranium mine also contributed significantly to the overall increase.
Coming back to Paladin, it now has 12 long-term contracts with top global customers. In total, Paladin has committed to supply 22.3 million pounds of uranium through 2030. This strong sales pipeline shows the company is in high demand and is a major contributor to Australia’s bright uranium future.
Langer Heinrich Mine: A Key Player for Nuclear Power
The Langer Heinrich Mine is located about 80 km from Swakopmund in Namibia. Paladin owns 75% of the mine, which is expected to play a big role in global decarbonization.
Once fully operational, LHM will produce enough uranium to power over ten 1,000 MWe nuclear power plants for a year and support the demand for low-carbon energy.
The mine restarted operations in March 2024 after a major upgrade. It uses the conventional and simple alkaline leach process to extract uranium, which helps keep operations steady and low-risk.
Paladin Pushes for Greener Langer Heinrich Mine
Direct emissions or Scope 1, come mostly from fuel burned on-site and diesel used in mining vehicles and transportation. Indirect Scope 2 emissions result from electricity purchased from NamPower, Namibia’s national power supplier.
NamPower sources electricity from hydroelectric plants in Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In recent years, solar power has also been added, helping reduce the region’s carbon footprint.
Rise in Emissions
Paladin Energy’s emissions increased sharply last year compared to 2023. This is because the mine returned to commercial production. Activities such as system testing and facility upgrades before the restart also added to the total emissions.
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Scope 1 emissions rose from 752 tonnes CO₂e in 2023 to 18,994 tonnes CO₂e in 2024.
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Scope 2 emissions were up from 431 tonnes CO₂e to 19,063 tonnes CO₂e in the same period.
This year the mine is ramping up output, and they expect a rise in Scope 1 and 2 emissions further as production hits full capacity. However, they are taking necessary steps to reduce their carbon emissions and environmental impact.
Protecting the Air Quality
The uranium miner has a completely rigorous checking of baseline air quality for gases like sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
They have skilled technicians who can handle the air monitoring system. The air monitoring plan tracks emissions from exhaust stacks, and it will continue throughout this year. This ensures the mine meets environmental standards and performance goals.
Reducing Environmental Impact
Paladin follows a strict Environmental Policy supported by clear procedures and plans. These include managing land and water use, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing mining waste.
When the mine restarted in 2024, it produced only small amounts of hazardous waste. All non-mineral waste is scanned for radioactivity. If found to be radioactive, the waste stays on-site in a special storage facility.
- Ensure all hazardous and non-hazardous waste is handled safely and meets environmental standards.
- Cut waste through reduction, reuse, recycling, and recovery
Recently, the Canadian government gave Paladin special approval to move forward with its Patterson Lake South (PLS) project. The company also signed community benefit agreements with two First Nations groups in Canada, showing its commitment to local partnerships.
Lastly, with rising uranium demand and strong results, Paladin Energy is growing fast. Its success also lifted other uranium companies in Australia, which showed strong confidence in this booming nuclear sector.
