Kazatomprom plans to set in operation 12 new mines till 2009

/INTERFAX-KAZAKHSTAN, Almaty, June 6, 06/ - The National atomic company (NAC) of Kazakhstan Kazatomprom has planned to set in operation 12 new mines till 2009. "For satisfying growing needs in world nuclear power the company Kazatomprom has carried out the program of setting in operationа 12 new mines", - the president of NAC, Mukhtar Jakishev informed, speaking in public on Tuesday in the annual conference of "World market of nuclear fuel" in Seattle. The text of M. Jakishev's speech was spread by press-service of Kazatomprom. In particular, on data of the head of NAC, two mines of underground down hole leaching (UDL) will start mining this year, next year it's planned to set in operation 5 new mines within the frameworks of joint ventures with Cameco, Areva, Urasia, Teneksom. 4 mines will be set in operation in 2008 and in the same year - one more mine of mine yield. Within the frameworks of implementation of these plans the active work on widening of actual infrastructure, construction of acid sulphide plant, new roads, power lines and other objects is conducted, M. Jakishev told. Owning to his information, in the territory of Kazakhstan 129 uranium fields are known. Uranium fields are combined into six uranium provinces (Balkhash, Caspian, Iliysk, North-Kazakhstan, Syrdarya, Shy-Sarysuysk). Stocks and resources of six provinces make 1690 tons of uranium, out of which about 1.2 m. tons are suitable for mining by method of underground leaching. At present, the head of Kazatomprom informed, industrial mining is carried out in 9 fields, located in Shu-Sarysuysk, Syrdarya uranium provinces (by technology of underground leaching) and in North-Kazakhstan (by traditional mine yield method). "Mining in the actual mines will be kept at the rate of over (summary - I-К) 5 thousand tons (per year - I-К) till 2021, and further on will be reduced in connection with stock depletion. All volumes of mining of actual mines, as we respond to the last needs with regret (willing to work out them - I-К), have been already contracted", - he emphasized. Mining in enterprises under construction, M. Jakishev continued, in 2010 will reach 12 tons. Tons/year, and from 2014 will increaseгоду up to 16.5 th. tons/year. This volume of annual mining will be kept till the beginning of 2030. Thus, the head of Kazatomprom noted, total uranium mining in "old" and new mines by 2010 should grow up to 18 th. tons/year, and by 2015 - up to maximum rate of not less than 20 th. tons/year, and at this rate it's planned to extract uranium till 2027. "According to our calculations, only after 2030 large investments in exploration works will be needed for keeping the rate of mining, including fields of mine workings. In case of realization of declared plans on development of nuclear power for keeping uranium mining at the same rate (and after 2050) within the period of 2015-2040 Kazatomprom will make investments over $220 m. in exploration works in a range of fields. Reasoning from our experience, as a result of these works the augmentation of stocks is expected less than by 400 thousand tons", - M. Jakishev informed. "This augmentation will allow to keep the volume of uranium mining in Kazakhstan at the rate of 27 thousand tons till 2090", - he concluded. Kazatomprom is the operator on import and export of uranium in Kazakshtan. Currently, the company is in "three" leading uranium-mining companies of the world. By 2010 Kazatomprom intends to win the first place in the world due to volumes of uranium mining. In 2005 the National Company extracted 4.3 th. tons of uranium, that by 29.5% is more than in 2004. The company represents itself as holding on management of six main tendencies of activity: exploration work, uranium mining, metallurgy, power, scientific maintenance of manufacturing and skill conversion, and also social securing. In the membership of the company are Ulbinsk metallurgical plant (NAC has 90% of shares), Metal mining Company LLP, Volkovgeology enterprise (90% of shares), MAEK-Kazatomprom LLP (power plant), Institute of high technologies LLP. Besides, Kazatomprom has shares of participation in joint enterprises with foreign companies, such as: Inkay, Katko, UKR TVS and Zarechnoye, and also under its management there is Stepnogorsk mining and chemical industrial complex. [2006-06-07]