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19 November 2008
Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, Rosnedra and Rosatom Hold a Meeting on Implementation of the Joint Action Plan on November 18
The participants of the meeting reviewed the progress of the mid term Joint Action Plan of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, Rosnedra and Rosatom on the mineral resources base formation and uranium deposit development.
The uranium reserves in Russia increased in 2006- 2008 more than 3.5 times — up to 545 thousand tons as compared to 145 thousand tons, reported Yury Trutnev at the meeting. The head of the Ministry of Natural Resources noted with satisfaction that this plan «is fully performed, which is evidenced by the growth of uranium reserves and resources from 145 thousand tons (2006) to 545 thousand tons (2008)».
In his turn, the Director General of the Uranium Holding ARMZ (JSC Atomredmetzoloto) Vadim Zhivov said that the uranium production increased during this period by 20% — from 3,190 tons of uranium in 2006 to 3,841 tons of uranium expected to be mined in 2008.
V.Zhivov also noted that during this period upstream joint ventures both in Russia and abroad were set up, as well as management and service companies which became part of ARMZ. He also said that on December 12 the new sulfuric acid plan, a facility owned by the uranium mining company JSC Priargunskoye Production Mining Chemical Association (PPMCA, Transbaikalia), will launch start-up work.
According to the ARMZ’s Director General, in 2008 the Russia-Kazakhstan uranium mining joint venture Zarechnoye reached the stage of commercial development of the deposit, and the other JV — Akbastau — will mine its first 300 tons of uranium in 2009.
JSC JV Zarechnoye started mining operations in December 2006 and produced 114 tons of uranium last year. By 2011 the company is expected to reach the design capacity of 1,000 tons of uranium per year. In 2006 JSC JV Akbastau was formed to develop three sites in the Budennovskoye uranium deposit, and the company is expected to reach the design capacity of 3,000 tons of uranium per year in 2018.
In his turn, the ARMZ Deputy Director for Strategic Communications Alexander Boitsov reported that in 2008 the company drilled 95,000 meters in the uranium deposits, and in 2009 the company will drill 173,000 meters.
At the meeting Serguei Kirienko thanked the Ministry of Natural Resources of RF and Rosnedra for their support to the development of the uranium resource base of Russia. «The implementation of the joint action plan has drastically changed the position of RF in the world. Our country ranks third worldwide by the uranium reserves. And the Uranium Holding ARMZ has become the leader in terms of the licensed deposit reserves,» — said Serguei Kirienko.
