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Kazakhstan plans to increase uranium ore mining to 25,000 tonnes over three years

The ministry said Kazakhstan in 2009 was the world’s number one uranium producer

ASTANA, August 17 (Itar-Tass) - Kazakhstan in 2013-2015 plans to increase the mining of uranium ore to 25,000 tonnes a year from the current 17,000 tonnes, the Industry and New Technologies Ministry said on Friday.

According to the statement, Kazakhstan has always been rated as one of the world’s leaders in this field, and now it has risen to second place as to the size of explored uranium deposits.

The ministry said Kazakhstan in 2009 was the world’s number one uranium producer.

“At the moment Kazakhstan mines over 17,000 tonnes of uranium ore a year, which is roughly equivalent to 33 percent of the world production. In 2013-2015 uranium mining is to grow further to 25,000 tonnes a year,” the statement says.

Uranium production will be stepped up “in accordance with government resolutions and also in view of the market situation, demand from the world nuclear power industry and the existing contracts for extracting subsoil reserves.”