ASTANA—Kazakhstan, one of the world’s largest exporters of uranium, maintains active and decommissioned reserves. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Energy, Kazatomprom National Atomic Company produces uranium at 26 sites in 13 deposits of Turkistan, Kyzylorda and the North Kazakhstan Regions. It holds a controlling stake in uranium mining companies in eight out of 14 enterprises.
Photo credit: Kazatomprom
In Kazakhstan, many uranium deposits are only accessible through underground methods, which are currently not cost-effective. However, Kazatomprom continues to explore and identify new resources. For instance, search operations at the Vostochny site of the Zhalpak deposit in the Turkistan region, funded by Kazatomprom, revealed uranium resources in categories P1 and P2. Further exploration efforts are underway to transfer their resources to categories C2 and C1 reserves.
“We are proud that our efforts in prospecting and exploring uranium deposits are yielding significant results, strengthening Kazakhstan’s position as global leader in the uranium industry. This is particularly crucial given the growing demand in the uranium market. I am confident that further research and development will increase our uranium resources, contributing to global energy security and the economic growth of our country,” said Meirzhan Yusupov, the chairman of the board of Kazatomprom.
Mining sites and methods
Current uranium extraction sites include Mynkuduk, Zhalpak, North Karamurun, South Karamurun, Kanzhugan, Moinkum, Inkai, Akdala, Zarechnoe, North Harasan, Budenovskoye, Irkol and Semizbai. The Inkai deposits have four mining sites, while Budenovskoye has seven.
Some deposits, such as those in Moinkum, have been decommissioned, and efforts are underway to eliminate the mining’s consequences. However, three other sections in Moinkum continue to operate. In Uvanas, mining operations have been fully completed.
Production has recently declined with 23,000 tons produced in 2017 compared to 20,900 tons in 2023. As of the beginning of 2023, Kazakhstan’s uranium reserves reached 990,000 tons. All uranium mining in Kazakhstan is primarily exported to China, France, Russia, Canada and other countries.
Nearly all uranium is extracted by underground borehole leaching. However, some enterprises produce uranium alongside their primary production. For example, Balausa Firm develops the Bala Sauskandyk uranium-vanadium deposit in the Kyzylorda region using an open method, and TEK Berkut mines the Oi-Karagaily uranium-coal deposit in the Almaty region.
Corporate landscape and international partnerships
The Ministry of Energy provided a list of companies engaged in uranium mining in Kazakhstan, highlighting that Kazatomprom owns a controlling stake in uranium mining companies in eight out of 14 enterprises.
Several companies operate in the same fields simultaneously but at different sites. For instance, Southern Mining and Chemical Company (SMCC) operates at the Inkai landfill, where Kazatomprom holds a 30% share. The remaining 70% belongs to Uranium One, managed by Russian Rosatom. SMCC is also involved in the development of the Akdala field.
JV Zarechnoye produces uranium at the Zarechnoye fields, with the Russian side owning 49.979%, Kara-Balta Mining Plant from the Kyrgyz Republic owning 0.041, and Kazatomprom holding the remaining 49.979%.
Uranium One also owns 50% shares of Karatau and JV Akbastau, mining at the Budyonnovsky field. Other sites on this territory are developed by JV Budenovskoye, with a 49% share of Russia. Uranium One also holds a 30% stake in Khorasan-U LLP, with another 20% owned by Energy Asia Holdings Ltd from Japan. A subsidiary of this holding, EnergyAsia (BVI) Limited, owns 47.5% of JV Baiken-U LLP, also developing the Khorasan field.
The Japanese side is represented by Sumitomo Corporation and The Kansai Electric Power Co Inc., which own 25% and 10%, respectively, of JV Appak LLP at the Mynkuduk field. JV Inkai LLP uses another section of the Inkai landfill, where the Kazakh side holds the majority, but 40% remains with Canadian Cameco Corporation.
China is represented by Beijing Sino-Kaz Uranium Resources Investment Company Ltd and CGNM UK Limited. The former owns 49% of JV Semizbai, operating in Irkol and Semizbai fields, while the latter holds 49% of DP Ortalyk, developing the Mynkuduk and Zhalpak fields. French Orano S.A. (Areva Min) owns a 51% stake in JV KATKO LLP at the Moinkum field.
