Kazatomprom to year 2010 is planning to increase the extraction of uranium to 18 th. tons a year

/INTERFAX-KAZAKHSTAN, Astana, March 30, 07/ - National atomic company of Kazakhstan Kazatomprom intends to increase the every-year level of uranium extraction to 18 th. tons to year 2010, had informed its president Mukhtar Djakishev. "... according to our estimations, in year 2010 we will extract not 15000 tons, but more than 18000 tons of uranium a year", - he informed in the interview to the Liter newspaper, published last Thursday. "Within the nearest time the amount of atomic reactors will be doubled, and of course for these again started reactors the raw materials are needed. So in year 2004 Kazatomprom had announced about its plans of increasing the volumes of uranium extraction with the aim of covering of the future deficit. We had announced about our program of intensive growth of uranium extraction to 15000 tons a year to year 2010 - it is almost fivefold growth", - told M.Djakishev, adding that presently the company had revised their plans to the side increasing. By his words "in the soviet times the annual volume of uranium extraction made 13200 tons and were given with participation of more than 200000 people". "Our plans - are to extract more than 18000 tons of uranium with participation of not more than 5000 specialists. That is the productivity will be almost 60times upper than in soviet time", - had stressed the head of Kazatomprom. He also had informed, that according to the program developed in the company, "we are planning to start the mine for three years, though traditionally the western practice give on it 8-7-8 years". "We also have the precedents when the term of starting of new mines till the issuing of the first parcel of uranium makes year and 2 months", - he told in this connection. M.Djakishev supposes that "price for uranium will grow" on the world markets. "Of course, (...) it also depends on plans of American government of using the arms' uranium for stabilization of situation on the energy market. In case if this uranium will not go to energy market, the price will grow till the new productions won't cover the need in uranium, which now is increasing in connection to building of new atomic stations", - he told. As it was informed, Kazatomprom in year 2006 had extracted 3 th. 010 tons of uranium against 2 th. 897 tons in year 2005. The data on volumes of uranium extraction do not consider the same indicators of the joint ventures with participation of Kazatomprom. In the past year in Kazakhstan as a whole was extracted 5 th. 279 tons of uranium against 4 th. 346 tons in year 2005. In republic are concentrated 21% of world reserves of uranium. The company Kazatomprom - is the national operator of Kazakhstanof export of uranium and other materials of double function. 100% of company's shares belong to the government in face of ministry of energy and mineral resources. Currently the company enters the three leading uranium-extracting companies of the world. Kazatomprom represents the holding of management with six main fields of activity: geological survey, uranium extraction, metallurgy, energy, scientific provision of the production and re-training of employees and also social security. In the staff of the company are: Ulbinskiy metallurgy plant (NAC owns 90% shares in it), Gornorudnaya company LLP, Volkovgeologiya enterprise (90% shares), MAEC-Kazatomprom LLP (energy combine in Mangistau region of the republic, on the west), Institution of high technologies LLP. Except this, to Kazatomprom belong the stakes of participation in joint with foreing companies entreoprises Inkay, Katko, Ukraine-Kazakhstan-Russian enterprise of production the nuclear fuel. And Zarechnoye, and also under its management is Stepnogorskiy mining combine. [2007-04-02]