Govt steps up uranium hunt

This was the first ministerial visit to Jaduguda since 1971, when the then Union Minister Nandini Satpathy had visited the open pit mines.

Jaduguda’s current mining capacity is around 2,800 metric tonnes with average ore grade content (uranium oxide) less than 0.067 per cent as compared to 14 per cent in Canada and 16 per cent in Australia.

Sources in the government confirmed that the UPA government wants to beef up its uranium stockpile and is looking at beginning mining at Domiasiat in Meghalaya, Lambapur-Peddagattu in Andhra Pradesh and new sites around Jaduguda.

There are two reasons for stepping up mining of uranium ore. First, if the US Congress approves the Indo-US nuclear deal, India will be able to buy yellow cake (uranium oxide) and fuel from international market and boost its nuclear power generation.

The current production of nuclear power is pegged at a mere 3,120 MW—way below the projected 10,000 MW by the Department of Atomic Energy by 2000.

The other reason being that once India separates its civilian and nuclear facilities, the much-required uranium ore can be used for maintaining a minimum credible nuclear deterrent posture.

The Domiasiat open pit uranium mine, which was explored way back in 1992, is 135 kilometre south of Shillong and is estimated to have nine million tonnes of uranium ore.

The average ore grade content (uranium oxide) is pegged at 0.104 per cent. However, before the mining is taken up in earnest, the Meghalaya cabinet will have to approve the decision. Last month, the Centre asked the state government to expedite the decision.

The Centre is also exploring the option of starting mining at Lambapur-Peddagattu near the Nagarjunasagar dam in Andhra Pradesh and had approached the state Pollution Control Board for environmental clearance.

The board has sent its rather non-committal report, the Lambapur mine has an average ore grade content of 0.052 per cent.

But with the NGOs up in arms over environmental impact of uranium mining, the Centre wants to shift the ore processing facility away from the site.

Besides, the government is also seriously considering mining new sites in Jharkhand. These include Bhatin (around 150 metric tonnes per day); Naruvapaha (around 1200 metric tonnes per day); Turanvi east (750 metric tonnes per day); Bandhuran (2300 metric tonnes per day) and Bagajhata (around 365 metric tonnes).