India's UCIL to Begin Uranium Extraction in Two New Mines

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) (Jaduguda, Jharkhand) has received clearance to operate two more deep uranium mines, along with five in operation in the East Singhbhum district, in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand.

The total amount of uranium produced in India is classified information, but the government says that uranium mined by UCIL will have to be doubled to improve the utilization of power generating capacity of nuclear reactors.

"The nine reactors, with a combined capacity of 2,620 MW, fuelled by domestically sourced uranium, are operating at 70% plant-load factor due to non-availability of required uranium," said Prithviraj Chavan, the junior minister for science and technology.

India has 17 nuclear reactors with a total installed capacity of 4,120 MW. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) (Mumbai), which is the government-owned nuclear power generator, plans to increase installed capacity to 20,000 MW by 2020. The DAE has initiated the exercise to increase domestic production of uranium.

Apart from the start-up of two deep mines in East Singhbhum, UCIL will commence production of new mines at Gogi, in southern state of Karnataka; Lambapur, in Andhra Pradesh; and KPM, in northeastern Meghalaya. UCIL also will commence operations on a new uranium mill and processing plant at Tummalapalle, Andhra Pradesh, by 2012.

According to data released by India's ministry for science and technology, the total uranium reserves are estimated at 147,898 tons; of which, Andhra Pradesh accounts for 66,205 tons; Jharkhand accounts for 48,074 tons; and Meghalaya 17,252 accounts for tons. UCIL will invest $44 million during the current year on pre-mining activities across 422 hectares of uranium reserves in West Khasi Hills of Meghalaya.

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