Monday, December 29, 2014

Kazakhstan remains the world’s largest uranium producer

To match Interview KAZAKHSTAN-URANIUM/
  • Wednesday, 28 January 2015 10:32
  • Written by TCA
ASTANA (TCA) — Kazakhstan has maintained its leading position as the world’s largest uranium producer. At year-end 2014 uranium production in Kazakhstan amounted to 22,829 tons which corresponds to the planned figures, the country’s state atomic company Kazatomprom announced yesterday. 

Taking into account the participatory interests in its subsidiary and affiliated enterprises, Kazatomprom produced 13,156 tons of uranium in 2014.  

In 2013, Kazakhstan produced 22,548 tons of uranium.

In 2014, Kazatomprom continued its prospecting and exploration works aimed at increasing resource base of uranium in the territory of Kazakhstan. During the year more than 986 exploration wells were drilled.

CJSC Uranium Enrichment Center in 2014 shipped the end product in the amount of 4,986.5 tons, 0.2 percent more than planned.

Tantalum production was 154,458 tons, niobium output was 72,228 tons, and beryllium output was 1,776 tons.

Kazatomprom’s JV SARECO LLP produced 240.4 tons of bulk concentrate of rare earth metals in 2014, which was shipped to Russia.

In 2014, Astana Solar LLP produced 51,069 solar panels, which corresponds to 12,706 MW of electrical energy, 13,338 MW (53,979 panels) of which were contracted by Kazakhstan companies.

Kazatomprom is the national operator of Kazakhstan for the import and export of uranium, rare metals, nuclear fuel for power plants, special equipment technologies and dual-purpose materials.

According to the World Nuclear Association, Kazakhstan has 12% of the world’s uranium resources and an expanding mining sector, producing about 22,550 tons in 2013, and planning for further increase until 2018. In 2009 Kazakhstan became the world’s leading uranium producer, with almost 28% of world production, then 33% in 2010, 36% in 2011, 36.5% in 2012, and 38% in 2013.

Kazakhstan has a major plant making nuclear fuel pellets and aims eventually to sell value-added fuel rather than just uranium.

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