Kazakhstan sets 2019 uranium output target at 22,742 tonnes

Kazakhstan will remain the world's leader in uranium mining despite the complicated situation in the global market, said Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Kanat Bozumbayev.

"Despite the difficulties in the global uranium market, we intend to maintain leadership in uranium mining. Now there is an oversupply of uranium and this trend continues," he told the extended board meeting of the Ministry of Energy. According to the ministry's press service, in 2018, Kazakhstan produced 21,699 tonnes of uranium, which is in line with the target figure, and, this year, it is planned to produce 22,742 tonnes.

The Minister highlighted that considerable uranium reserves are Kazakhstan's competitive advantage. "Therefore, the main goal for us is to increase the gross value added of the nuclear industry through the development of all the major segments of the nuclear fuel cycle and the creation of nuclear power industry that would use its own resource base to the maximum extent. Vice-Minister Sungat Yessimkhanov and Director of Department of Atomic Energy and Industry Development Batyrzhan Karakozov are to ensure the introduction of amendments to the legislation on civil and legal accountability in the nuclear field in the first half of the year," Kanat Bozumbayev concluded.

Source