Kazakhstan interested in supplying uranium to Vietnam

Kazakhstan is interested in supplying uranium to Vietnam and in participating in nuclear power plants construction in this country, President Nazarbayev’s Press Service reports. President Nazarbayev is on its first ever official visit to Vietnam. “Kazakhstan is ready to work with partners from Vietnam in the O&G sector. Long-term supplies of uranium to Vietnam and participation in nuclear power plants construction is of great importance to Astana”, the statement reads. Among other prospective directions for cooperation there is transport, shipbuilding, processing industries, S&MBs;, agriculture. “Dynamic development of our nation’s economies lays a good foundation to unleash the potential of bilateral cooperation”, the Press Service quoted President Nazarbayev as saying at his talks with Trương Tấn Sang. According to the Press Service, for 2011 the trade turnover between the two nations exceeded $30 million. Earlier tengrinews.kz reported that Kazakhstan may boost uranium production to 30 000 tons a year, Sergey Yashin, KazAtomProm Nuclear Company Vice Chairman of the Board, said speaking at the VI KAZENERGY international forum in Astana October 5. “As of today annual production output stands at about 20 000 tons, that is 33% of the global production. We can reach 25-30 000 tons a year if needed”, he said, adding that “further increase in uranium production output is only possible in case of the market demonstrating further demand”. “Kazakhstan has extracted only 4.2% of its overall reserves so far”, he elaborated. In 2009 the uranium production output grew from 8521 in 2008 to 14 020, enabling Kazakhstan to become the global leader in terms of production. Estimated uranium production output in 2011 stands at 19 800 tons. For the first 8 months Kazakhstan produced a total of 12 284 tons of uranium, Profinance.kz quoted the Press Service of KazAtomProm National Nuclear Company September 28.