Kazakhstan, a
leader in uranium mining, is an important player in the global nuclear market.
The country annually produces around 20,000 tonnes of uranium, contributing
over 40 percent to the total world exports. In the first nine months of this
year, uranium production exceeded 15,000 tonnes. Presently, the country exports
uranium to numerous foreign states across Europe, Asia, North and South
America, as announced by Kazatomprom CEO Meirzhan Yussupov. Thus, 24 clients in
11 countries purchased Kazakh uranium products last year. In the future, it is
also planned to maintain the dynamics of uranium sales.
“For the first nine
months of this year, there is an insignificant decrease in production mainly
due to limited access to materials. We have sulfuric acid in our raw materials.
There were some delays in supplying that. But our expectations for 2023 remain
unchanged. We still plan to produce what we have planned,” Yussupov said.
Kazakhstan is aimed
at further developing the nuclear industry. The country has great potential to
become the largest supplier of energy resources, according to Samruk-Kazyna CEO
Nurlan Zhakupov. Moreover, according to the World Nuclear Association, demand
for uranium for nuclear power plants will surge by at least 25% by 2030. This
growth is driven by a rising global interest in low-carbon energy.
“At the moment,
Kazakhstan is present in two stages: uranium mining and nuclear fuel assemblies
production. On one hand, we are financially capable in terms of exploring and
bringing up into production new deposits or new reserves. On the other hand, I
think we do have the best expertise in the world in order to produce uranium by
the in situ leaching (ISL) method,” Zhakupov said.
