Uranium ore support a neutron-mediated chain reaction). Uranium, thorium, and potassium are the main elements contributing to natural terrestrial radioactivity. Uranium has the highest atomic weight of the naturally occurring elements and is approximately 70% denser than lead, but not as dense as tungsten, gold, platinum, iridium, or osmium. It is always found combined with other elements. Along with all elements having atomic weights higher than that of iron, it is only naturally formed in supernova explosions. The primary uranium ore mineral is uraninite (UO) (previously known as pitchblende). A range of other uranium minerals can be found in various deposits. These
National Mineral Development Corporation National Mineral Development Corporation </nowiki> NMDC Limited, previously known as National Mineral Development Corporation, is an Indian state-controlled mineral producer. It is 72.43% owned by the Government of India, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel. It is involved in the exploration of iron ore, copper, rock phosphate, limestone, dolomite, gypsum, bentonite, magnesite, diamond, tin, tungsten, graphite etc. It is India's largest iron ore producer and exporter producing more than 35 million tons of iron ore from 3 fully mechanized mines in Chhattisgarh and Karnataka. It also operates the only mechanized diamond mine in the country at Panna