If it wasn't for the US working out early on in the peace that you get better weapons grade plutonium from uranium, nuclear power may have kicked off using Thorium instead (which ain't great to make big kabooms) with...and from what I read a much safer way to generate nuclear power...less chance of those messy meltdowns.
There's a some rare earth miners in Aust who produce Thorium and various countries (not including Aust) are looking at this alternative source. Worth a look see from both commercial, enviro and investment potential.