2024 was a decidedly mixed bag for ASX uranium shares.

A handful managed to outperform the 7.5% gains posted by the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), while many ended the year deep in the red.

The year just past was a very different picture to what most ASX uranium shares experienced in 2023 when the uranium price rocketed to new 16-year highs.

But after uranium topped US$106 per pound in January 2024, some of the heat came out of the market over the rest of the year, with the price sliding below US$75 per pound in December.

Though it's worth noting that prior to the 2023 rally, you'd still have to go all the way back to mid-2008 to find the nuclear fuel trading above US$75 per pound.

With this picture in mind, here are five of the best-performing ASX uranium shares to have bought and held in 2024.

Five top-performing ASX uranium shares of 2024

The first ASX uranium shares that outperformed most of its peers in 2024 is Deep Yellow Limited (ASX: DYL).

The year just past saw Deep Yellow progressing with its strategy to establish a multi-mine company with the capacity to produce more than 10 million pounds of the nuclear fuel per year. The uranium miner has two advanced projects: Tumas, located in Namibia, and Mulga Rock, in Western Australia.

Deep Yellow shares closed out 2023 trading for $1.09 apiece. On 31 December 2024, shares ended the day at $1.13, up 3.7% over the year. Longer-term, at today's intraday prices, the Deep Yellow share price has gained 369% over five years.

The second best-performing ASX uranium share on my list for 2024 is NexGen Energy Ltd (ASX: NXG). The company's primary focus is its Rook I uranium project in Saskatchewan, Canada.

NexGen shares ended 2023 trading for $10.06 apiece and closed out 2024 at $10.81, up 7.5%. Longer-term, NexGen shares have gained 71% since July 2021.

Moving on to our third ASX uranium stock that outpaced the pack in 2024, we have Bannerman Energy Ltd (ASX: BMN). The company's flagship Etango project, located in Namibia, has been labelled as one of the world's largest undeveloped uranium assets.

Bannerman shares ended 2023 trading for $2.69 and finished 2024 at $2.90, putting the Bannerman share price up 7.8%. Longer-term, the Bannerman share price is up 725% over five years.

Which brings us to the second best ASX uranium share on my list to have bought and held throughout 2024, Berkeley Energia Ltd (ASX: BKY). Berkely Energia primary focus is bringing its Salamanca uranium project, located near Madrid, Spain, into production.

Berkley Energia shares ended 2023 trading at 28 cents apiece and closed 2024 at 32 cents each, up 14.3%. Over the past five years, shares have gained 59%.

And the winner is…

Moving on to our top-performing ASX uranium share, we have Silex Systems Ltd (ASX: SLX).

Now, Silex Systems is not a uranium miner or explorer. Rather, the Aussie tech company focuses on commercialising its SILEX laser-based enrichment technology for the global uranium enrichment industry.

Silex shares closed out 2023 at $4.35 apiece and ended 2024 trading for $5.05, up 16.1% over the year. Longer term, the Silex Systems share price is up a whopping 1,369% over five years.