Russia And South Africa Sign Uranium Production Agreement

2007-12-06

Russia is to conduct geological prospecting and uranium ore mining in South Africa, under the terms of a new cooperation agreement between the two countries.     The Nuclear Society of Russia told NucNet that the agreement was signed on 21 February 2007. The agreement also allows South Africa’s participation in Russian mining operations.     The NSR said a separate cooperation agreement was signed by Techsnabexport and South African utility Eskom. Commenting on this agreement the head of Russia’s Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom), Sergei Kiriyenko, said: “We have very good prospects for cooperation; in particular, we are discussing low-enriched uranium supplies for the period up to 2020.”     Mr Kiriyenko said that while Russia remained “seriously interested” in uranium production, talks were also under way with South Africa about possible joint participation in nuclear power projects such as the potential for deployment of Russian-designed floating nuclear power plants. (NucNet,23/2/2007)