Today, the global energy sector is developing in-tensively and has huge opportunities for further growth. Uranium plays a major role in the de-velopment of the industry as the most important strategic raw material. Uranium is the main source of energy in the nuclear power industry, which accounts for about 20 percent of the world’s electricity generation. It is important to note that today our products, known in the world markets under the brand name “Uzbek uranium”, occupy a worthy place in this segment. According to statistical data, Uzbekistan is one of the leading countries in uranium mining and ranks fifth in the world ranking.
The pride of our country is Navoiuran State Enterprise, which is one of the largest players in the uranium market. Today, the enterprise performs almost all stages of uranium mining, from geological exploration to the production of finished products.
If we look back in history, the beginning of uranium ore discovery in Kyzylkum dates back to 1930, when large-scale geological exploration works provided the first information about the presence of uranium in the Aminzatau region of Kyzylkum. In 1931, the first signs of uraniferousness of the “Tamdytau”, “Bukantau” and “Altyntau” deposits appeared, and in 1938 the uraniferousness of “Altyntau” was proved.
As a result of the first geological surveys in Uzbekistan, large reserves of uranium ore were discovered also in the Uchkuduk area. Numerous mining specialists from other republics were sent to these places from other republics in order to accelerate the extraction of uranium, which was so necessary for the nuclear industry of the former Soviet Union. The development of the Uchkuduk uranium deposits began, which led to a change in the balance of the world’s reserves of the strategic raw material.
On 20 February 1958, the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combine was established by a decree of the government of the former Soviet Union to mine and process uranium ores in the Uchkuduk region, and commercial development of part of the reserves of the Uchkuduk deposit began that year. But it should be noted that uranium mining here was very difficult. The thing is that uranium mining in this area was carried out for the first time, besides, its reserves were located in difficult mountain-geological conditions. This, in turn, required the development of new technologies, the most efficient methods of research and development work and development of the deposit. Thus, uranium mining was carried out simultaneously by open-pit and underground methods – by in-situ and heap leaching.
As a result of research work carried out by employees of a special research institute of the former Soviet Union in the 1950s, it was established that uranium from the Uchkuduk deposit differs in its physical and chemical properties and technical composition from other uranium deposits.
For the purpose of pilot development of the Uchkuduk uranium deposit, experimental production was organized and construction of a uranium processing plant began. A site in the Karman area (now Navoi) was chosen for the construction of a new hydrometallurgical plant (HMZ-1), the first in Uzbekistan, and its work began with the commissioning of the first start-up complex in 1964. The miners commissioned 11 open pits and 14 mines to carry out underground mining operations. As a result, the Uchkuduk getechnological mine was organized in 1962.
The discovery of uranium ores in Kyzylkum, in turn, led to the establishment of settlements here. Thus, in the spring of 1956, the construction of a new town – Uchkuduk – began, the history of which is inextricably linked to the discovery of uranium deposits. One of the main uranium mining units on the territory of Uzbekistan was Ore Mining Department No. 5 (now Zafarabad Ore Mining Department). This uranium mining enterprise was established on 1 February 1971 as a pilot site of Leninabad Mining and Metallurgical Combine. After the discovery of the uranium deposit in Uchkuduk, geological exploration works carried out along the ore district led to the discovery of new deposits. In 1975, the settlement of Zafarabad was established near the aul Kukcha (now Konimeh district).
Four geotechnological mines operate as part of the ore mining division, where 14 uranium deposits are being developed. Along with the production of finished products, geotechnological mines No. 1 and No. 2 extract rhenium in the form of AR-0 grade ammonium perennate from productive solutions.
In order to determine effective uranium extraction technologies in difficult mining and geological conditions, select oxidizing agents, and test new types of equipment, pilot and experimental work was carried out at the new mines of the ore management department – “North Kokhnur”, “South Sugrali”, “Oktov”, “Nurkon”, “Maybulak”, “Boimin”, and “South-East Zhongeldi” – to uncover reserves at the deposits and convert them to in-situ leaching.
Another uranium ore deposit is the “Sobirsoy” mine located in Nurabad district of Samarkand region. This mine was organized in 1964 and united small uranium deposits “Shark”, “Agron”, “Nurbulak”, “Ulus”, “Zharkuduk”, “Shark” and “Ingichka”. Today, pilot operations are carried out at the “Agron” and “Arnasoy” mines.
The Uranium Products Plant (previously organized on the basis of Workshop No. 3 of GMZ-1) is now the only uranium oxide producer in the country. Over the years of independence, the plant has upgraded physically and morally obsolete equipment, introduced automated control systems and instrumentation of modern technological processes. As a result, the uranium oxide production volume increased by 30 percent.
As part of the implementation of the long-term development strategy of New Uzbekistan, large-scale transformations are being carried out in all spheres. In recent years, the industrial sector related to the extraction and processing of natural uranium, which occupies a significant place in the country’s subsoil, has developed.
Among the other things, the adoption of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. UP-4629 dated 6 March 2020 ”On measures to reform the State Enterprise ‘Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combine’ ” in order to introduce modern methods of corporate governance, transition to market mechanisms, increase competitiveness, expansion of existing capacities, development of new promising deposits served as the beginning of these reforms. On the basis of this document the State Enterprise “Navoiuran” was established, specializing in mining and processing of natural uranium and rare metals. This large enterprise, which has a long history, is today the only one in the country for uranium mining and processing. The enterprise is tasked with the development of natural uranium deposits to be brought into production, while ensuring energy efficiency and environmental safety in accordance with international standards, associated mining and processing of rare and rare-earth metals in uranium ore, and export of uranium oxide.
Currently, the company is confidently following the path of sustainable and dynamic development, selling 100% of its products for export. The main type of products manufactured by the enterprise is natural uranium and ammonium perrenate (rhenium) extracted from 11 natural uranium deposits with a total area of 21,000 hectares located at the production sites of the Zafarabad ore management department, as well as at 6 geotechnological mines combining the Uchkuduk and Nurabad deposits.
Moreover, the company includes a uranium products plant, three geological exploration expeditions, a geological exploration party, a production section of spare parts for drilling rigs, a repair and mechanical shop employing over 9,300 employees, as well as production facilities for sulphuric acid, which is one of the main chemical products used in the uranium products manufacturing process, and workshops producing polyethylene pipes and spare parts, which are widely used in the technological process and are used in the production of uranium products.
It is gratifying that the country’s leadership places high confidence in the State Enterprise “Navoiuran”. In recent years, the enterprise has demonstrated high growth rates in financial and economic terms.
Currently, there is a high need to increase the production of natural uranium, which is a rare and valuable fossil. Our state has determined that until 2030 it is planned to reserve 100 thousand tons of uranium reserves in the sphere of “Navoiuran” through implementation of 11 projects worth 550 million US dollars, thus the production volumes will be tripled. Undoubtedly, we are proud that our enterprise, which plays a significant role in the life of the country, has been given such high confidence by the leadership of the Republic. This is, without exaggeration, a huge event in the history of the national uranium industry.
Jamol FAYZULLAYEV, General Director of the State Enterprise “Navoiyuran”
01/09/2021 
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