Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Aug. 30 / Trend D.Azizov /
Uzbekistan's Navoi Mining and Metallurgy Combine (NMMC) drilled technological wells at the Kahnur and Shimoloy Kanimeh fields last week and extracted its first uranium from the area.
The NMMC began mining the Northern Kanimeh Field in 2007. The drilling and construction of geotechnological wells on the field launched later that year. The complex is expected to be fully operational by 2012. According to the NMMC, the total cost of developing uranium mining in the area will reach roughly $32 million.
The NMCC Ore Department No. 5 has already received uranium from the wells. The department is located in the Bukhara region and focuses on uranium mining with underground leaching.
Earlier, the NMMC stated that the department met its uranium production quotas last year with a 0.1-percent surplus. The department also successfully performed associated rhenium production.
Roughly $165 million will be invested in uranium production over 2007-2012 according to a state plan to develop Navoi. Uranium production and export will increase 1.5 times by 2012.
The NMMC is the exclusive uranium extraction, enrichment and export operator in Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan has 27 uranium mineral fields in the Kizilkum region. The country's uranium reserves rank seventh in the world.
Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at: [email protected]