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KATCO, uranium mining company in Kazakhstan
KATCO explores and mines uranium deposits in Kazakhstan, the world’s second-leading uranium producer. Its steadily increasing production enabled it to obtain an extended mining permit. The company will need to overcome some technical, logistical and human challenges to achieve its new objectives.
KATCO was founded in 1996. Its shareholders are AREVA (51%) and the Kazakhstan company KAZATOMPROM (49%), responsible for supervising national nuclear activity and in particular, the mining of natural uranium. KATCO, headquartered in Almaty, currently employs 1,200 people on a full-time basis.
In 1999, KATCO obtained a mining and exploration permit for the vast Muyunkum deposit, for the South Muyunkum and Tortkuduk sites in southern Kazakhstan, located around 250 kilometers north of Shimkent. The 2 sites stand at a distance of approximately 50 kilometers from each other.
Following a more than 3-year feasibility study with testing in an industrial pilot phase on the South Muyunkum site, industrial development of both sites was launched in April 2004.
The first industrial mining began in late 2005.
The initial mining objective was 1,500 metric tons of uranium/year combined for the 2 deposits.
A powerful increase in production
Characterized by a low uranium content, the huge Muyunkum deposit is mined using ISR (in-situ recovery*). This method of mining uranium consists of:
- injecting a leaching solution (diluted sulphuric acid) into a series of boreholes,
- pumping the resultant solution in which the uranium was dissolved as it passed through the mineralized area,
- transferring the liquid uranium to the plant by pipe,
- placing the uranium from the solutions in resins before being purified, concentrated and packaged in the same way as in conventional ore processing plants.
AREVA Fast Track Inauguration, Kazakhstan, September 2010
Designed to produce 1500 metric tons of uranium a year, the Tortkuduk Kazakhstan plant was completed in March 2007. In 2009, 9 million euros has been allocated to the Fast Track project to increase the annual production capacity to 4000 metric tons of uranium a year. The new facilities were commissioned in July 2010.
In 2008, KATCO extracted 1,356 metric tons of uranium, thereby becoming the largest ISR operation in the world. With a current production capacity of close to 2,000 metric tons/year, well above the initial objective of 1,500 metric tons/year, KATCO is consistently increasing its activities.
Challenges of the 4,000-metric ton project
The growth in production, the size of the deposits, and the prospects for new licenses have enabled KATCO to formally obtain permission from the Kazakhstan authorities to increase its production to 4,000 metric tons/year beginning in 2012.
KATCO’s 4,000-metric ton project signifies a major contribution to the group’s goal of doubling its uranium production in 2012.
For KATCO, the main project challenges are:
- exploring plots of land and discovering additional deposits,
- increasingly powerful means of drilling,
- increasing treatment capacity, implementing a new barreling unit,
- adapting infrastructures: extending/renovating site facilities and administrative premises, roads, landing strip, etc.,
- recruiting and training teams.
Katco-4000 : portrait of a french-kazakh partnership
KATCO company founded in 1996 explores and mines uranium deposits in Kazakhstan. Its shareholders are AREVA (51%) and the Kazakhstan company KAZATOMPROM (49%). KATCO produced 1,356 metric tons of uranium in 2008 and 3,132 metric tons in 2009. The Fast Track project, which will reach 4,000 metric tons in 2012, was commissioned in July 2010.
Some key dates
- April 2009: Signing of an endorsement contract for underground utilization, authorizing KATCO to increase production to 4,000 metric tons per year beginning in 2012.
- June 2008: AREVA and KAZATOMPROM sign an agreement reinforcing their partnership, with the goal of increasing their uranium production.
- 2007: Start-up of production tests at the Tortkuduk plant. As with the South Muyunkum plant, the Tortkuduk plant features a fixation and elution unit, as well as refining and calcination units, which allow for the treating of eluates transferred from South Muyunkum.
- Start-up of exploration, via geological licenses for Tortkuduk and Central Muyunkum.1996 : Creation of the KATCO joint venture.
- 2006: Start-up of the South Muyunkum plant, with the goal of producing 700 metric tons of uranium per year.
Drilling start-up on the Tortkuduk site. - 2005: Extension on the life of the underground utilization contract until 2039 and construction of the site facilities at Tortkuduk.
- April 2004: Sign-off on the launch of the industrial phase, based on 51% shares held by AREVA NC and 49% held by KAZATOMPROM.
Drilling starts on the South Muyunkum site. - Mid-2001 – end-2003: Operation of the pilot unit and writing of the industrial operation feasibility study.
- 2000 – mid-2001: Construction and start-up of a pilot unit on the South Muyunkum site.
- 1999: Licenses obtained for the extraction of uranium from the Muyunkum deposit for the No.1 South Muyunkum site, and for the exploration and extraction at the No.2 Tortkuduk site.
- 1996: Creation of the KATCO joint venture.
Contact
KATCO
282, Dostyk Avenue
050020 Almaty Kazakhstan
Tél. (7) 727 244 52 52
Fax (7) 727 258 26 29
