President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov has signed a parliamentary-approved law lifting the ban on the development of uranium and thorium deposits in the country, according to the president's press service.
"To achieve a balance between ensuring environmental safety, utilizing strategically important resources for the country, and developing Kyrgyzstan's economy, the law lifts the ban on activities related to geological exploration for the purpose of searching, exploring, and developing uranium and thorium deposits in the Kyrgyz Republic," the press service stated.
On June 13, Prime Minister Akylbek Zhaparov clarified that the new law primarily targets the development of titanomagnetite deposits, rather than uranium and thorium.
According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Kyrgyzstan currently has 83 deposits containing uranium and thorium, which are in demand on the global market. The existing ban on their development hindered the extraction of other rare metals at these sites. Notably, the Kyzyl-Ompol mine, which faced opposition from Kyrgyz residents in 2019, contains significant titanomagnetite reserves.
The government assured that state-owned companies will undertake the development of these deposits while adhering to all established safety standards and criteria.
The cabinet believes that lifting the ban could create up to 1,000 jobs at each deposit and generate an additional $150 million for the national budget. Uranium mining in Kyrgyzstan began in the latter half of the 20th century, with processing and enrichment carried out in other Soviet Union republics.
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Based on materials from TASS