https://www.miningweekly.com

Indian government forced to close down prime uranium mines

Indian government forced to close down prime uranium mines

Photo by Bloomberg

9th September 2014

By: Ajoy K Das

Creamer Media Correspondent

  

Font size: - +

KOLKATA (miningweekly.com) - Close on the heels of shutting down iron-ore mining last week, the Indian government has directed Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) to stop mining operations at its Jaduguda uranium mines in the eastern province of Jharkhand.

The order came down on Tuesday, as the mines were operating without a second lease being renewed, which the Indian Supreme Court had earlier termed illegal. This same ruling had seen 12 of the 17 operating iron-ore mines in the same province shut down last week.

The government-owned UCIL, the sole uranium miner and processor in the country, operated seven mines across 1 313 acres, along with two processing units for mined uranium and its subsequent conversion into ‘yellow cake’ of about 74% uranium content, for supply to nuclear power plants across the country.

The seven mines included Jadugora, Bhatin, Turamdih, Bagjata, Narwapahar, Banduhurang and Mahuldi, all in Jharkhand.

UCIL’s production figures were not available from either the company or the Department of Atomic Energy, under which the company operates, since it was claimed the information was strategic and classified.

The first 20-year mining lease for the Jaduguda mines had expired in October 1987 and the second lease renewal has been pending since September 2006, according to officials in the Jharkhand government.

In a statement, UCIL chairperson D Acharya said that the closure of the Jaduguda mines would have a huge impact on the corporation, as Jaduguda had the best grade, and other properties, among all UCIL’s mines in the country.

“The corporation has set up an internal team with personnel drawn from its lease and environment departments and they would be going through various formalities and follow-up documents already submitted to the Jharkhand government’s mining and geological departments,” he said.

UCIL last year had reported ‘major discoveries’ of uranium deposits near its existing mines in Jharkhand but the latest directive to close down its existing mines in the region would make development of new deposits in the region uncertain, officials said.

Though the estimates of the new deposits had not been disclosed, officials in UCIL said that, as the new reserves were located in close proximity to its existing Jadugora and Marwpahar mines, the corporation would be able to extend the life of the latter mines by five to six years if new developmental projects could be implemented.

Edited by Esmarie Iannucci
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Australasia

Comments

Latest News

Kropz Elandsfontein
Kropz secures R170m loan facility
27th March 2024 By: Darren Parker

Showroom

Actom image
Actom

Your one-stop global energy-solution partner

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Yale Lifting Solutions
Yale Lifting Solutions

Yale Lifting Solutions is a leading supplier of lifting and material handling equipment in Southern Africa. Yale offers a wide range of quality...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
27th March 2024
Resources Watch
Resources Watch
27th March 2024

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.121 0.156s - 106pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now