mass uranium discovery in india

Andhra Pradesh reveals massive uranium discovery

“ it is not high grade uranium, it is low grade uranium. We have not found any high grade uranium in India to match that found in Australia “.

A new mine in Andhra Pradesh could contain the largest reserves of uranium in the world signaling a major boost for energy -hungry India.

The Tumalapalli mine in Andhra Pradesh state could provide up to a 150,000 tonnes of uranium, Sri Kumar Banerji , secretary of the department of Atomic energy, told reporters after a four year survey of the site completed.

It is confirmed that mine has 49,0000 tonnes of ore, and there are indications that total quantity could be three times that amount “ Banerji said.

If that be the case, it will become the largest uranium mine in the world “ he said.

Previous estimates suggested that only about 150,000 tonnes of uranium would be produced at the mine,  which is due to start operating by end of year.

S.K.Malhotra  spokes man for department of Atomic Energy said experts at Tumalapalli mines quite hopeful that the eventual volume from mine would reach 150,000 tonnes.

But he warned that “ it is not  high grade uranium, it is low grade uranium . We have not found any high grade uranium in India to match that found in Australia . Major exporter Australia has so far rebuffed Indian requests to supplies of heavy metal which is refined into nuclear fuel, because the country  has not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

The government has been seeking new supplies of uranium world wide and has  concluded supply deals with France , Kazakhstan and Russia among others.

“ the new find would only augment the indigenous supply of uranium. There would still be a significant gap. We would still have to import .” Banerji  quoted as saying.

India’s  fast growing economy is heavily depend on coal, getting less than three percent of its energy from atomic power. It hope to raise the figure to 25 %  by 2050.

Construction  began on Monday of two new indigenously designed 700 mega watt nuclear power plants in western state of Rajasthan the government said in a statement.

India currently has 20 nuclear reactors generating 4,780 MW of power, plus seven reactors with capacity 5300 MW under construction it said. New Delhi- backed by U.S.- won a special exemption in 2008 from nuclear supply group ( NSG) which govern global nuclear trade, to allow it  buy reactors and fuel from overseas.

The country had been subject to an embargo since 1974, when India conducted a nuclear weapon test. Countries are normally required to have signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and open their reactors to international scrutiny before they can buy atomic technology and uranium. Companies from France, Russia  , the U.S. and Japan are compete ting for a slice $ 175  billion that India plans to spend on nuclear reactors.

Since Japan Fukushima crises in March, environmentalists have campaigned to stop construction of new nuclear power plants in India but government has vowed to press a head with its plans.

Regular protests have been held by residents at Jaithapur  on western coast of India , where a huge six  reactor 9900 MW plant is scheduled to begin construction in 2013.