Participation of Mining Operators Sought to Push Uranium Output, Pg13

Key Highlights:

• A Parliamentary committee recommended the participation of Mine Developer-cum-Operators (MDOs) in uranium mining to boost domestic output.
• This move aims to address the insufficient domestic uranium production for India's future Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs).
• India targets expanding its civil nuclear power capacity from 8.7 Gigawatt-electric (GWe) to 100 GWe by 2047.
• The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is mandated to maintain strict oversight over any MDO involvement.
• Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) currently meets only about 30% of the projected PHWR fuel demand.

Detailed Insights:

• An MDO is a contractor engaged by a mine lease holder, typically a government entity, to develop and operate a mine.
• India's indigenous PHWRs use natural uranium, sourced from domestic production by UCIL and imports.
• Light Water Reactors (LWRs), such as those at Tarapur and Kudankulam, rely entirely on imported enriched uranium.
• UCIL operates mines and processing plants in Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh, supplying uranium concentrate to National Fuel Complex (NFC) for fuel fabrication.
• The panel noted that PHWRs alone could require approximately 5,400 tonnes of U3O8 annually for about 25 GWe capacity.
• India currently imports uranium from Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Canada, with the Uzbekistan contract valid until 2026.
• The DAE is pursuing an amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act) to allow a one-time extension of uranium mining leases.
• The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) has identified 4,31,000 tonnes of in-situ uranium oxide resources, but only 80,423 tonnes have been transferred to UCIL.
• At current production rates, existing reserves can last about 40 years if no new reserves are added.
• UCIL faces challenges including ore body depth, low ore grades, land acquisition hurdles, and public resistance.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Mine Developer-cum-Operator (MDO): A contractor hired by a mine lease holder to develop and operate mining activities.
• Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR): A nuclear power reactor type that uses heavy water as both coolant and neutron moderator, typically fueled by natural uranium.
• Light Water Reactor (LWR): A nuclear power reactor type that uses ordinary water as both coolant and neutron moderator, typically fueled by enriched uranium.
• U3O8 (Yellowcake): A concentrated form of uranium oxide, an intermediate product in the processing of uranium ores.