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A subsidiary of the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), the company CNUC, will undertake the exploration of promising uranium deposits in Uzbekistan. This became possible after the signing of a memorandum between Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Mining and Geology, the Navoiuran company, and CNNC. Under the agreement, CNUC specialists will arrive in Uzbekistan as early as September to begin their work.
Additionally, another important memorandum was signed between Uzbekistan and China, which involves the creation of an innovative scientific and technological center for the exploration and extraction of uranium and other valuable elements.
The Uzbek side has also expressed interest in Chinese technologies for uranium conversion and enrichment, as well as for the production of nuclear fuel for power plants. Representatives from Navoiuran held negotiations in China regarding the implementation of these technologies in Uzbekistan to create value-added products. It is not yet clear what specific product is being discussed, but it is possible that it involves uranium dioxide.
It is worth noting that in July 2022, the President of Uzbekistan instructed the establishment of a working group to study global practices in uranium dioxide production. This material is used to manufacture fuel pellets for nuclear power plants. Each uranium dioxide pellet, weighing 4.5 grams, produces energy equivalent to burning 500 cubic meters of natural gas or 500 kg of oil. Uzbek experts were tasked with studying international experience and submitting proposals to the government on organizing uranium dioxide production in Uzbekistan.
By 2030, Uzbekistan plans to significantly increase its uranium production, aiming to reach 7,100 tons annually, which would double the volume produced in 2021. The country also plans to increase ammonium perrhenate production from 2,215 kilograms in 2021 to 3,700 kilograms by 2030.
The text has been translated by AI. For more accurate information, please refer to the Russian version of the article
