A new technology using drones is set to be deployed for the remote monitoring of radiation measurements at former uranium mining and processing areas in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with gamma spectrometers have been developed by a German consortium in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Kazatomprom has announced the signing of a sale and purchase agreement for the sale of a 49% share of Ortalyk LLP to a subsidiary of China General Nuclear Power Corporation, subject to conditions and governmental approvals.

The pandemic has shown the resilience of the nuclear industry to act responsibly, both as a supplier of energy and as an employer, the head of the world's biggest uranium producer said today. In his address to delegates at the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle forum, Kazatomprom CEO Galymzhan Pirmatov said the wellbeing of the company's 20,000 employees was his first priority.

Kaztomprom has issued preliminary 2020 production figures of 19,477 tU (on a 100% basis), which is 15% down on its 2019 output of 22,808 tU. Production volumes for the fourth quarter and for 2020 were significantly lower, related to the expected impact of the pandemic and the company’s decreased wellfield development activity, as well as lower staff levels in April-July 2020. Guidance for 2021 is 22,500-22,800 tU (100% basis).

China General Nuclear is expected to acquire a 49% stake in Ortalyk LLP, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kazakh uranium producer Kazatomprom, by mid-2021. The transfer of the stake was part of cooperation agreements signed between CGN and Kazatomprom in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

A project to remove the last remaining batch of unirradiated highly enriched uranium fuel from Kazakhstan has been completed in a joint effort by Kazakhstan and the USA, the US Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration has announced. The two nations have also signed a new joint statement reaffirming their intention to continue to work together to support the common goal of minimising nuclear proliferation, ensuring nuclear security and strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime.
 

Kazatomprom CEO Galymzhan Pirmatov highlighted changing sentiment in the uranium market when announcing the Kazakh uranium producer's half-yearly financial results yesterday. The impact of reductions in Kazatomprom's operations due to COVID-19 measures will not be seen until the second-half of this year, he said, and the company expects its inventory levels to fall below its target of six to seven months of annual attributable production in 2020 and 2021.

Kazakhstan's JSC National Atomic Company Kazatomprom says it will continue to "flex down" production by 20% through 2022. The company is also maintaining its 20% reduction in 2021, with no additional production planned to replace volumes lost in 2020 due to the measures taken to combat COVID-19.

Kazakhstan's JSC National Atomic Company Kazatomprom plans to return staffing levels at its uranium mines to normal by around the end of this month. The number of employees at the mine sites was reduced between April and July in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

JSC National Atomic Company Kazatomprom has today announced it is extending for one month its reduction in operations due to COVID-19. Kazakhstan's government last week announced a second two-week lockdown after a national surge in coronavirus cases followed the lifting of an earlier lockdown.

Production figures issued by Cameco and Kazatomprom for the first quarter of 2020 show a slight decrease on the same period last year, while those announced by the US Energy Information Administration show an 86% year-on-year fall from US facilities. This follows a year when US uranium production was the lowest on record.

Canadian uranium producer Cameco says Kazatomprom's decision to temporarily decrease operational activity at their Inkai joint venture is "an unplanned event that may lead to variability" in its 2020 outlook. Cameco has also announced that it is implementing a number of temporary operational changes at its fuel services division facilities in Ontario.