Astana plans Big Hike in Uranium Production

    Kazakhstan will increase uranium production by 40 percent in 2009, Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Sauat Mynbayev has announced.
    Mynbayev told members of parliament that production would top 11,900 tons in 2009 compared to 8,512 tons last year, Kazakhstan Today reported on February 23.
    The Central Asian state aims to become the world’s largest exporter of uranium in 2010 by producing in excess of 15,400 tons annually.
    Two new mines, Khorasan-1 and Khorasan-2, are slated to open later in 2009 to facilitate the planned boost in production, according to Eurasianet.org.