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Kazakhstan increases uranium production

Publish date: April 15, 2005

Kazakhstan's national atomic energy company said Tuesday it plans to boost production more than fourfold over the next five years as it aims to become the world's largest uranium producer.

KazAtomProm said in a statement that it produced 3,719 metric tons (4,000 short tons) of uranium in 2004, a 10 percent increase on the previous year. It plans to boost output to more than 4,000 metric tons (4,409 short tons) this year, rising to as much as 15,000 metric tons (16,500 short tons) annually in 2010, making it the world’s largest uranium producer, the statement said. The Central Asian nation has 30 percent of the world’s uranium reserves and is currently the fourth biggest uranium producer, according to KazAtomProm. It produces low-enriched uranium tablets for nuclear power plants, AP reported.