Kazakhstan, Astana, Aug. 14 / corr Trend K.Konirova /
Kazakhstan reported a significant increase in uranium production during the first half of 2009. State-owned nuclear energy company KazAtomProm over-fulfilled the uranium production by 9 percent in this period, the company said.
KazAtomProm said that uranium output during the first six months of 2009 totaled over 6,000 tonnes, exceeding production plans by 9%. This, the company said, represents a 57% increase in output compared with the first half of 2008. Kazakhstan plans to produce some 8,000 tonnes of uranium during the second half of 2009.
In addition, in the first half of 2009 tantalum and niobium production made up 102.3 tons (106 percent of the target). In the first quarter the beryllium output made up 629 tons, despite sharp fall in demand at the world markets.
"Electricity producing subsidiary of the company MAEK- KazAtomProm produced electricity in the volume of 2 billion kilowatts/hour in the first half year of 2009, almost the same volume produced in the same period of 2008," the company said.
"Plans and commitments are being fulfilled," KazAtomProm President Shkolnik said.
In this period aggregated capital investments in group of enterprises of KazAtomProm constituted 33.4 billion tenge, or 92 percent of the level of the first half year of 2008 ($1 is 150.7 tenge).
Uranium-producing enterprises are implementing their plans to bring new deposits into production, KazAtomProm said. It said that Akbastau JSC and Baiken-U LLP have started pilot production, while mines at the Kharasan 1 and Irkol deposits have been put into operation. Meanwhile, construction work at the Kharasan 2 and Semizbai deposits continues. In addition, work is in progress to increase production at the South Inkai deposit, while refinery plants are under construction at Karatau LLP.
Construction is also underway of two plants in Kazakhstan for the production of sulfuric acid, used in extracting uranium at in-situ leach (ISL) mines. During the first half of 2009, the design of the 500,000 tonne per year plant in Zhanakorganskiy region was finalised. Infrastructure for the plant, including road and rail access is nearing completion, while the power transmission line is now in place. Operation of the $216 million plant is scheduled to begin in 2011. Equipment ordered from Italy for the 180,000 tonne per year plant in Stepnogorsk, which is set to start operating next year, is ready to be shipped to Kazakhstan.
During the first half year of 2009 work over development of estates concluded in Zhanakorganskiy region, while construction of exterior infrastructure of the plant, including automobile and railway routes, are on the stage of completion and construction of electricity transmission lines is completed. Italian manufacturer fabricated the ordered equipment in Stepnogorsk and plans to deliver it to Kazakhstan soon.
KazAtomProm is a national operator of Kazakhstan on export of uranium and its combinations, rare metals, nuclear fuel for nuclear power stations, special equipment, technologies and materials of dual appointment. Major directions of the company's activities are geological exploration, uranium production, manufacturing products of nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear power reactor design and construction, non-ferrous metallurgy and production of construction materials, power engineering, science, social security and training of personnel.
The company employs over 25,000 people.
Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at: [email protected]