Uzbekistan, a resource-rich Central Asian nation, produces 3,500tons of uranium annually and holds 139,200 tons of uranium reserves, an Uzbekofficial has said.
Deputy Director General of Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combine(NMMC) Nurmat Julibekov told local magazine Economic Reviews that Uzbekistandoes not process uranium locally and exports its entire produced stock to othercountries.
NMMC is the only uranium operator in Uzbekistan, and it is thefirst time that Uzbekistan has disclosed figures on its uranium production.
Julibekov said that the main partners for uranium exports areJapan's Marubeni-Itochu Steel Inc. and the United States' Nukem Inc.
Uzbekistan, the world's fifth largest uranium producer, alsoexports uranium to France, Canada and China, Julibekov said.
Editor: Galia
