Overview -
The Akdala uranium mine is located in Kazakhstan. The property consists of three non-contiguous adjacent blocks totaling 31.54 km
2.
Drilling in the region began in 1961 and Akdala was discovered in 1982 as part of the nearby Mynkuduk mine deposit. The property was leased in 2004 to the Betpak-Dala Joint Venture (70% owned by Urasia and 30% owned by KazAtomProm (KAP), the state-owned uranium company). KAP operates the mine.
The mine officially began production in January 2004 and produced 644.9 tonnes of uranium that year. Akdala is currently expanding production from 600 t U per year to 1,000 t U per year. Projected costs for the expansion currently underway to a capacity of 1,000 t U per year are estimated to be US$37 million. KAP plans to increase production to as much as 12,000 tonnes by 2015. Current resources are expected to be exhausted by 2015.
Uranium production at Akdala is by means of acid in situ leaching. ISL has the benefits of being low cost and environmentally friendly. There is minimal surface disturbance, with no tailings or waste rock.
The property has several office buildings, a cafeteria, a work shop, processing plant, pregnant and barren solution ponds, well fields, and pump houses. The current expansion includes production equipment to produce wet yellowcake (approx. 40% U) on site. The yellowcake is shipped to other plants in the region for final processing and refining.
Kazakhstan has about 15% of the world's estimated uranium reserves and is currently the third-largest producer of uranium. KAP is the world's fourth-largest uranium producer, currently producing about 3,700 tonnes a year.
;)
Subscription Required
