In this episode we chat to Mark Mukhija, CEO of Eagle Nuclear Energy, a company focused on uranium development and advanced nuclear technology.
We discuss Eagle’s Aurora Uranium Project, its scale and pathway towards a pre-feasibility study, as well as the challenges of rebuilding a domestic U.S. uranium supply chain. Mark also shares his perspective on SMRs, the potential impact of AI on nuclear development, and what the uranium and nuclear industries could look like over the next decade.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The United States faces an extreme domestic supply deficit, consuming roughly 50 million pounds of uranium annually while producing only about 2 million pounds.
Eagle Energy is advancing its Aurora Project—the largest conventional mineable uranium deposit in the U.S.—toward a pre-feasibility study targeted for completion by late next year.
Advancements in small modular reactors (SMRs) and massive power demands from AI reinforce that reactor deployment must be backed by a secure, reliable uranium fuel pipeline.
Overcoming the multi-year development lead times for new mines requires strategic reserves, permitting reform, and substantial upfront capital investment before demand peaks
BEST MOMENTS
"You can’t have a nuclear renaissance without a uranium renaissance."
"AI is creating this huge demand for 24/7 electricity, but it’s also helping nuclear companies develop this technology and make it come to market sooner."
"A pre-feasibility study is really when you start turning a geological resource into an engineered project."
"Uranium [is] being stopped to be looked at just another mined commodity, but it's going to become a very strategic energy necessity."
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Mail: rob@mining-international.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/
X: https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast
Web: http://www.mining-international.org
GUEST RESOURCES
https://eaglenuclear.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/eagle-nuclear/home/
https://x.com/Eagle_Nuclear
Mark's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmukhija/
Mark Mukhija, P.Eng., is the CEO of Eagle Nuclear Energy, a next-generation nuclear energy company with rights to the largest mineable, measured and indicated uranium deposit in the United States and proprietary small modular reactor technology. He has nearly two decades of international mining experience spanning operations, business development, and executive leadership. His career includes engineering roles with global mining leaders BHP Billiton, Barrick Gold Corp. and Teck Resources, as well as senior management positions in the mining technology sector with Plotlogic and Motion Metrics. He also serves as an independent director of Tactical Resources Corp., a U.S.-focused rare earths company. Mukhija holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in mining engineering from the University of British Columbia.
Podcast Description
Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
