Russia, China agree to cooperate on uranium mining technologies

A delegation from the Chinese Academy of Sciences has visited Russia’s largest uranium mining enterprise, the Priargun Mining and Chemical Combine (PMC), in the city of Krasnokamensk in Russia’s Zabaykalsky Krai, where the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in uranium exploration, mining, and processing technologies.

According to a statement released by the company, the visit was conducted within the framework of cooperation between Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

The Chinese delegation was led by the Academy’s Vice President, Academician He Hongping, and included specialists in geology, geophysics, and rock mechanics.

During the visit, the delegation toured several production facilities, including the Tulukui and Krasny Kamen open-pit mines, the construction site of Mine No. 6, and a heap leaching operation used for processing low-grade uranium ores.

The parties agreed to exchange expertise in uranium prospecting and exploration, jointly develop technologies for processing low-grade and substandard ores, and launch collaborative research and exploration projects.

Company representatives said the cooperation was facilitated by the geological similarities between uranium deposits in Russia and China, creating opportunities for joint scientific and technological development.

“This visit is not merely an exchange of expertise, but a foundation for the advancement of global science and the improvement of mining efficiency,” the company said in its statement.

The Priargun Mining and Chemical Combine, officially known as PJSC E.P. Slavsky Uranium Mining and Processing Plant, is the largest industrial enterprise in Russia’s Trans-Baikal region and the country’s leading uranium producer. The facility manufactures uranium oxide, which is subsequently enriched at Rosatom’s nuclear fuel cycle facilities.

By Sabina Mammadli