New Uranium Mining Projects - Europe
(last updated 5 May 2008)
Contents:
The following companies are performing uranium prospection and/or exploration in Bulgaria:
Cambridge Mineral Resources plc 
,
Uran Ltd (application)
Russia considers mining uranium in Bulgaria
Russia is considering mining
uranium in Bulgaria after its nuclear services exporter won a tender to build
a power plant outside Sofia, a senior nuclear official said on Nov. 8, 2006.
Russia's newly-formed uranium production company will study the issue.
"If the recently established Uranium Mining Company carries out the
economic study together with Bulgarian colleagues, and uranium production
proves to be economically attractive, the project will be launched," said Pyotr
Lavrenyuk, vice president of Russia's nuclear fuel producer and supplier
TVEL.
The TVEL company and the state-owned uranium trader Tekhsnabexport
(Tenex) merged into the Uranium Mining Company on November 2, 2006, to
develop uranium deposits inside and outside Russia, and import uranium.
The TVEL official said the company already imported uranium from other
east European countries, including the Czech Republic.
(RIAN Nov. 8, 2006)
Cameco interested in Bulgaria's uranium production
Canadian Cameco corporation was interested in the eventual restoring of
uranium production in Bulgaria, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported.
Uranium production in Bulgaria ceased in 1992, BNR said.
Bulgaria's uranium deposits reach nearly 12,000 tons, BNR said. The
amount would be enough to supply resources for nuclear energy production
in Bulgaria for the next 20 to 30 years.
(Sofia Echo Sep. 12, 2006)
Bulgaria considers re-opening of uranium mines
In its final report, the Bulgarian-Russian intergovernmental commission for
economic co-operation recommended the re-opening of uranium mines in
Bulgaria.
If the mines were re-opened, Russia would use the extracted ore to produce
cheaper nuclear fuel for the Kozlodui nuclear power plant, 24 Chassa
reported. The Russian corporation TVEL, the provider of nuclear fuel for
Bulgaria, said it might reduce prices and recommended that Bulgaria should
start exploring re-opening possibilities as soon as possible.
(Sofia Echo May 26, 2006)
The following companies are performing uranium prospection and/or exploration in
the Czech Republic:
Uran Ltd
Uranium mining in the Czech Republic is opposed by Calla ,
Strana Zelených Janův Důl ,
Naše Podještědí
On Apr. 23, 2008, a Czech town council turned down an Australian mining company's call that it be allowed to launch exploration for reserves of uranium in return for a cash windfall.
Přibyslav councillors rejected an offer from Australian company Uran Ltd for it to be allowed to explore what are believed to be rich uranium deposits in the centre of the country, the ČTK news agency reported.
The Australian company offered 800,000 koruna (31,000 euros, 46,300 US dollars) a year while exploration work continued and 1.6 million koruna a year when commercial mining commenced. It wanted council backing in order to overturn previous environment ministry rejections of its exploration bids.
Přibyslav was one of the company's main targets because around 7,500 tonnes of uranium is believed to be present at nearby Brzkov.
(AFP Apr. 23, 2008)
On Jan. 4, 2008, Uran Ltd announced that the Czech Ministry of Environment has declined Uran Ltd's Brzkov exploration license application. Uran Ltd has lodged an appeal against the decision.
On July 24, 2007, Uran Ltd announced that trial sorting of waste rock produced from the former Příbram uranium mines is planned to commence in early August 2007.
Over 80,000 tonnes of U3O8 was produced from Příbram underground mines between 1957 and 1984. Ore and waste rock were crushed underground during mining at Příbram, and about 60 million tonnes of crushed waste rock were deposited in a number of surface dumps around Příbram.
Historical records suggest that two of these dumps, each of about 5 million tonnes, may contain elevated levels of uranium due to sorting procedures at the time.
Czech company EcoInvest s.r.o. currently sorts waste material derived from the Příbram mines through its ore crushing and sorting facility at Příbram to produce road gravel, after extraction of radioactive material which is currently treated as waste. Uran Limited has agreed with EcoInvest to carry out trial sorting of a 10,000 cubic metre parcel of waste rock to evaluate the potential for commercial production of a uranium-bearing concentrate.
Agreement in principle has been reached with state enterprise Diamo to toll treat any economic concentrates produced from sorting at Příbram, through Diamo's Rožná uranium plant.
> View deposit info
> See also: Strana Zelených Janův Důl · Naše Podještědí
(in Czech)
The Czech Environment Ministry declared the Kotel municipality near Liberec a protected deposit area in which uranium could be mined, the Prima television station reported on Apr. 29, 2008.
The deposit contains some 20,000 tonnes of uranium ore, worth billions of crowns.
It was Diamo state company that applied that the uranium deposits in the Podještědí area be protected, Prima reported.
"We do not plan mining at all," Diamo production deputy director Marian Boehm told Prima.
People from local municipalities fear that uranium mining would further harm the environment and force them to move away.
(Prague Daily Monitor Apr. 30, 2008)
On April 11, 2008, approximately 100 people gathered in Liberec in front of the local branch of the Environmental Ministry to protest against the securing of the Osečná-Kotel uranium deposit for future mining.
On Jan. 26, 2008, some 300 people gathered near Osečná for another demonstration against the securing of the Osečná-Kotel uranium deposit for future mining.
"The Environment Ministry will probably make a decision on the declaration of a protected ore deposit by the end of February. However, neither plot owners, nor municipalities and their inhabitants have the right to participate in the proceedings and interfere in the process under the Communist era's mining law from 1988," protest organiser Josef Jadrný (Greens) explained.
"A new law is only being prepared and we demand that the ministry's decision in the case be postponed by the time it takes effect," Jadrný added.
(ČTK Jan. 26, 2008)
On Dec. 30, 2007, several hundred people held a demonstration at Osečná against the securing of the Osečná-Kotel uranium deposit for future mining. (ČTK Dec. 30, 2007)
State-owned company Diamo s.p. is attempting to secure the Osečná-Kotel uranium deposit for future open-pit mining. The deposit is located near the former Hamr uranium mine and Stráž uranium mill in North Bohemia. The surrounding communities are opposed to this move, since they are in the process of transforming the area into a recreational area and they are still dealing with the legacy of the large-scale uranium mining carried out during the Cold War era.
If the Environmental Ministry acknowledges the deposit as a "protected deposit", Diamo could start mining after conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment process. (Calla Nov./Dec. 2007)
The following companies are performing uranium prospection and/or exploration in Greenland:
Prime Minerals Ltd ,
Greenland Minerals and Energy Ltd ,
Hudson Resources Inc.
The following companies are performing uranium prospection and/or exploration in Finland:
Areva NC,
Agricola Resources plc ,
Belvedere Resources Ltd ,
Scandinavian Gold Prospecting AB ,
Yukon Resources Corp. ,
Cooper Minerals Inc. ,
Namura Finland Oy ,
Mawson Resources Ltd.,
For details, see: Ministry of Trade and Industry - Exploration for uranium (in Finnish) · Summary in English
For opposition to uranium exploration, see Uraaniton.org ,
Movement against uranium mining in North Karelia
(in Finnish)
Uranium exploration in Northern Karelia
On Jan. 19, 2007, the Finnish trade and industry ministry refused several requests from Areva for uranium prospection licences in Lapland.
The ministry said the new requests 'do not fulfill the legal requirements for mining prospection.' (AFX Jan. 19, 2007)
On Oct. 10, 2006, the Finnish government granted permission for French nuclear group, Areva, to prospect for uranium in Eno and Kontiolahti in eastern Finland.
The 15 exploration sites are in the province of northern Karelia near the Russian border, 460 kilometers northeast of the capital, Helsinki.
The permission does not cover test mining or test milling.
(AP Oct. 10, 2006)
Uranium exploration in southern Finland
On Jan. 19, 2007, the Finnish trade and industry ministry refused several requests from Areva for uranium prospection licences in the south of Finland.
The ministry said the new requests 'do not fulfill the legal requirements for mining prospection.' (AFX Jan. 19, 2007)
On Dec. 21, 2006, opponents of uranium mining in West Uusimaa submitted a petition with 7,700 signatures urging the government to reject the 200 uranium prospection applications filed for the area. The government expects to make a decision on the applications in January 2007.
Opponents of prospecting activities in Uusimaa note that the region is densely populated, and needs of new residential areas. There is also the fear that clean ground water in the area could be spoiled by uranium prospecting and mining.
(Helsingin Sanomat Dec. 22, 2006)
On Oct. 10, 2006, Areva submitted its application for uranium exploration in southern Finland. In the application, 35 of the proposed 50 square kilometres would be in Nummi-Pusula, and the remaining 15 in neighbouring Somero. There are a total of nearly 400 farms in the area. (Helsingin Sanomat Oct 11, 2006)
A delegation of the citizens of Askola and Pukkila, two communities in Eastern Uusimaa, protested in Helsinki on May 3, 2006, against the French uranium company Cogema's plans to start mining activities in their home municipalities.
The demonstration was arranged by the civic movement Uraaniton.org ("Uranium-Free") that gathered some 200 protesters, including a couple of dozen citizens of Askola and Pukkila who had arrived in Helsinki driving their tractors.
(Helsingin Sanomat May 4, 2006)
Restart of uranium mining in Eastern Germany still not profitable, Wismut says
Wismut speaker Frank Wolf denied that the remaining uranium deposits in Thuringia and Saxony could be mined profitably, even though in early June 2007, the uranium spot market price exceeded the inflation-adjusted production cost of the former Wismut mines. The cost of the "high environmental and safety standards" would have to be factored in, as well. So far, Wismut has not received any inquiries from potential investors.
(Ostthüringer Zeitung July 19, 2007)
The following companies are performing uranium prospection and/or exploration in Hungary: Whildhorse Energy
Environment Ministry concerned over proposed re-opening of mines in Southern Hungary
The Hungarian Ministry of Environment and Water is concerned about plans to resume coal and uranium mining in the southern Mecsek mountains, minister Gabor Fodor told journalists.
The ministry would prefer businesses to turn their attention to opportunities in renewable energy, but if plans to re-open mines in this area turn serious, the ministry will be strict about the environmental licencing procedures, Fodor said.
The Australian-owned WildHorse Energy Hungary has plans to restart a uranium mining project in the Mecsek in 2010-2011.
(MTI Dec. 7, 2007)
On Aug. 3, 2007, WildHorse Energy Ltd announced that Eurash (a joint venture between WildHorse Energy and Sparton Resources) has signed an agreement with Bakonyi Eromu Zrt (BEZ), the owner of large volumes of mining slag and fly ash as waste products from a coal fired power station at Ajka in western Hungary. The Ajka site contains several heaps of ash, totalling close to 20 million tonnes of material. Measurements of the these heaps between 1992 and 1995 indicate that U3O8 grades ranged between 94 and 152 ppm in the ash, and between 33 and 137 ppm in cinders.
Eurash plans to evaluate the uranium content of the ash as well as other metals in the mining slag, with a view to developing a project to recover and process the uranium and other metals.
WildHorse Energy Limited and Sparton Resources Inc. have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to identify and evaluate the possibility of extracting commercial quantities of uranium from waste coal ash generated by many large central European power stations which burn high uranium content lignitic or brown coals.
Wildhorse has already started evaluating one specific opportunity in Hungary. Analyses on this material done between 1992 and 1995 indicate the ash contains between 90 and 150 ppm U3O8 [0.0076 - 0.013% U].
Sparton already is evaluating a similar project in Yunnan Province, China.
(Wildhorse/Sparton May 24, 2007; MiningNews Net May 25, 2007)
Uranium prospection licenses denied in Donegal
Natural Resources Minister Eamon Ryan has declined to grant Prospecting Licences to two companies seeking to explore for uranium in Donegal.
"It would be hypocritical to permit the extraction of uranium for use in nuclear reactors in other countries, while the nuclear generation of electricity is not allowed in Ireland".
"There are also significant environmental and public health concerns surrounding uranium mining, including contamination of ground and surface water supplies and radiation levels."
> View Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources release Dec. 2, 2007
The following companies are performing uranium prospection and/or exploration in Italy:
Metex Resources Ltd
Uranium mining in Italy is opposed by Legambiente Lombardia
Opposition against development of Novazza uranium deposit
The Lombardy Region opposes the Novazza uranium project. (L'Eco di Bergamo Oct. 24, 2006)
On Sep. 20, 2006, Italian environmentalists vowed to oppose a project to extract uranium at Novazza in the Seriana valley in the northern region of Lombardy, saying it could cause radioactive contamination of the area.
Australia-listed exploration company Metex Resources Ltd. said earlier this week it wanted to explore 300 hectares in the mountains some 85 km northeast of Milan.
Uranium was first discovered in the region in the 1960s, but has never been commercially exploited.
Metex has started a process to gain the necessary permits for the US$150 million project.
Lombardy's regional government is evaluating the project.
Andrea Poggio, head of the Legambiente environmental action group for the Lombardy region told Reuters: "We are very angry that they have not informed local people...We are strongly opposed to it."
Poggio said the project presented two main threats: possible radioactive contamination of the valley through rain and mountain springs which can spread radioactive elements from ore once it is extracted, and the radioactive gas radon which accompanies mine works.
Legambiente plans to discuss the project on Sep. 28, 2006, with local authorities and residents of the area.
(Reuters Sep. 21, 2006; Legambiente)
The following companies are performing uranium prospection and/or exploration in Poland:
Whildhorse Energy
The following companies are performing uranium prospection and/or exploration in Portugal: Berkeley Resources Ltd
> View deposit info
Uranium mining in Nisa is being opposed by Movimento Urânio em Nisa, Não , Quercus .
Opposition against uranium exploration in Nisa
More than 300 people have signed a petition launched by Movimento Urânio em Nisa, Não (MUNN) to protest against the possible exploration of uranium in the region.
(Diário Digital Jan. 31, 2008)
Agreement with Anaconda expired
The agreement between Anaconda and ENU on the development of the Nisa project, Portugal, has expired. (Anaconda 2001 Annual Report, Oct. 24, 2001)
Quercus - National Association of Nature Conservation opposes Nisa project
The public consultation for the Nisa uranium project ended on July 20, 1999.
> view Quercus statement: "Quercus against approval of uranium mine in Nisa: environmental and public health hazards inadequately evaluated" (July 24, 1999)
Anaconda Uranium enters Nisa Joint Venture
Anaconda Uranium Corporation has entered into a binding agreement with Empresa Nacional de Urânio S.A. (ENU) a subsidiary company of the Portuguese State mining holding company, Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro, S.A. (EDM), to develop and exploit the Nisa Uranium Project as a joint venture.
Located in the Alto Alentejo area of Portugal, the Nisa Project consists of eight shallow uranium deposits with total reserves in excess of 5 million pounds of U3O8 at a grade of 0.13 percent U3O8. It is estimated that the project will be in production within the next 12 months.
> View Anaconda Uranium Corp. press release July 23, 1998
> see also Russia (Asian part)
Russia, Canada agree on joint uranium prospecting
On Nov. 29, 2007, Atomredmetzoloto Company signed an agreement with Cameco Corporation to set up joint ventures for geological prospecting and production of uranium in the Russian northwest and in Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Nunavut.
(Itar-Tass, November 30, 2007)
Radioactive pollution of Lake Ladoga feared from uranium project
Activists of Karelia's association of environmentalists have expressed concern that an ongoing exploration project at an uranium deposit outside the village of Karkhu may cause radioactive pollution in Lake Ladoga.
"Our information suggests that exploration efforts are in their final stages at an uranium deposit near the village of Karkhu in Karelia's Piktyarantsk district," association coordinator Dmitry Rybakov told Interfax.
The average depth of the uranium deposit there is 150-300 meters, the association said.
(Interfax Oct. 15, 2004)
Decision On Uranium Mining Postponed
On Nov. 4, 1998, the Parliament of Karelia (north-west Russian region) postponed its
decision about the mining of the Srednaya Padma deposit for vanadium and uranium for the second time. Previously the parliament was discussing the proposed mining project on October 20 and made no decision after environmental activists claimed there was no environmental impact assessment made for the project. The decision-making was postponed for "lack of information".
Last summer the government of Karelia announced a competition for mining companies to develop uranium mining in the Srednaya Padma deposit, close to Onego lake in Karelia (approximately 200 km from the Russian-Finnish border). Both local residents and environmental groups are strongly opposed to the proposed uranium mining demanding to cancel these plans immediately for "environmental, social, political and economic
reasons".
(Socio-Ecological Union/ECODEFENSE!' Antinuclear campaign )
The following companies are performing uranium prospection and/or exploration in Slovakia: Tournigan Energy Ltd.,
Ultra Uranium Corp. ,
GB Energy Ltd ,
GBE Exploration Pty Ltd ,
Crown Energy s.r.o. ,
Koral s.r.o. ,
Central European Metals s.r.o.
Uranium mining in Slovakia is opposed by Greenpeace Slovakia .
Winegrowers of Tokay oppose uranium exploration
The association of wine growers has launched a petition for saving the Tokay region for wine growing. The petition reacts on three industrial developments in the area: uranium exploration by Crown Energy, building of a coal power plant, and perlite mining.
(Pravda Feb. 5, 2008)
> View deposit info
> See also: Slovak NGOs file complaint with EC over reductions of their role
On February 2, 2007, Greenpeace held a protest action against the Jahodná uranium mine project at the Tournigan Gold Corp. annual meeting in Vancouver.
> View details (in Slovak)
On November 2, 2006, Greenpeace handed the first 16,000 signatures for a petition against uranium mining in Slovakia over to the Ministry of Environment.
On October 14, 2006, the city council of Košice adopted a resolution against uranium mining.
On April 27, 2006, Tournigan Gold Corporation announced that it had received a positive Economic Study for the Jahodná uranium deposit.
The following companies are performing uranium prospection and/or exploration in Spain:
Berkeley Resources Ltd,
Areva NC,
Mawson Resources Ltd.
> View deposit info
On Feb. 14, 2008, Berkeley Resources Ltd announced a positive Scoping Study for its Salamanca I project.
The following companies are performing uranium prospection and/or exploration in Sweden:
Svenska Skifferolje AB,
Mawson Resources Ltd.,
Continental Precious Minerals Inc.,
Beowulf Mining plc ,
Agricola Resources plc ,
Energy Ventures plc,
Nordic Diamonds Ltd. ,
Aura Energy Ltd ,
Sagacity Holdings Ltd,
Trans Atlantic Metals AG ,
All Star Minerals plc
For opposition to uranium mining in Sweden, see:
Nej till uranbrytning (in Swedish)
On April 15, 2007, Continental Precious Minerals Inc. filed an appeal to reverse the decision of The Mining Inspectorate of Sweden not to grant them prospecting rights in Billingen.
In 2006, Svenska Skifferolje AB, Mawson Resources Ltd., and Continental Precious Minerals Inc. applied for prospecting rights in a large area covering most of the cambrium silur triangle of Billingen - Ålleberg - Gerumsberget. The Mining Inspectorate received massive protests from the County Administration of Västergötland , all affected cities, as well as from farmers and other organisations. The applications were all turned down.
In May 2005, Svenska Skifferolje AB applied for prospecting rights in Skaraborg. After massive local protests, the application was turned down by the Mining Inspectorate of Sweden (Bergsstaten ).
Around 30 persons held a demonstration in Östersund against uranium exploration by Mawson Resources Ltd. in Rörvattnet.
(Östersunds Posten Apr. 7, 2007)
Protests were held at the Kläppibäcken site, where Mawson Resources started drilling for uranium exploration.
(Länstidningen i Östersund March 27, 2007)
During a meeting held in Hotagen (Jämtland), residents strongly opposed uranium exploration in the area. (Östersunds Posten Oct. 13, 2006)
The community of Krokom (Jämtland) has decided to appeal Länsstyrelsen's decision to permit uranium exploration by Mawson Resources Ltd. in the area. The decision was also appealed by the Jovnevaeri sameby (Sami Village). (Östersunds Posten Oct. 12, 2006)
On Oct. 10, 2006, Mawson Resources Ltd. announced that the Company has been granted permission to drill the Tåsjö and Kläppibäcken uranium projects in Jämtland, Sweden.
The following companies are performing uranium prospection and/or exploration in Ukraine:
Vostochny Uranium Ore Mining,
Uran Ltd ,
United Uranium Corp. ,
Star Uranium Corp.
South Korea and Ukraine sign agreement on nuclear cooperation and development of uranium deposits
A memorandum of understanding covering issues related to nuclear power and development of uranium deposits has been agreed between South Korea and Ukraine on June 25, 2007. The agreement particularly deals with information and technology exchange.
(WNN June 28, 2007)
Ukraine to achieve self-sufficiency in uranium by 2013
Ukraine is planning to become self-dependent in terms of uranium supplies for its operating nuclear power plants by boosting annual production of this metal from the current 800 tonnes to 2,500 tonnes between 2007 and 2013, the republic's Fuel and Energy Ministry told RBC. The target is to reach an output level of 5,900 tonnes of uranium per year in 2014-2025, and 6,400 per year in 2025-2030.
(RBC June 15, 2007)
Ukraine to double uranium production by 2010; five-fold increase envisaged by 2020
Ukrainian state company Vostochny Uranium Ore Mining (Vostochny GOK, Dnepropetrovsk region) plans to boost uranium output 120% between 2006 and 2010, increasing the level of uranium it provides to Ukrainian nuclear power stations to 71% from 32%.
Pyotr Kuch, a senior engineer at Vostochny GOK, announced the forecast at a nuclear fuel cycle elements conference in Dneprodzerzhinsk.
"The long-term uranium production plan envisages an almost five-fold increase in 2020 with the approval of the Novokonstantinovsk uranium field project," he said. Improving the Novokonstantinovsk field project could mean a 520% increase in production, which will meet Ukrainian nuclear power requirements and enable uranium to be exported, he added.
However, due to insufficient state budget funding, it will be necessary to raise off-budget funds.
(Interfax Mar 21, 2006)
Ukraine could export natural uranium
Ukraine has the capability to export natural uranium, provided the financing is assured. Ukraine has prospects to provide 100% of its own uranium needs (rather than only 34.5% at present), and to export its surpluses, according to Minister Sergey Yermilov. While until last year, the market prices of natural uranium were below the production cost in Ukraine, there now already are orders for the purchase of natural uranium, for which capacities should be developed.
(Ukraine Ministry of Fuel and Energy, Dec. 2, 2003)
Ukraine trebles uranium production
In April 1995, the Ukrainian government approved a nuclear fuel
industry plan, scheduling a threefold increase of uranium
production by the year 2003.
At present, uranium is being mined in the Ingul'skii and Vatutinskii mines near Kirovograd.
The ore is processed in the Zholtiye Vody and
Dneprodzerzhinsk mills. There is no official data available on
the Ukrainian uranium production. The OECD estimate for the
production in 1992 is 1000 tonnes of uranium.
Ukraine is to begin operating an industrial unit to develop the Novokonstantinovskoye uranium ore deposit with Russia's corporate participation primarily to secure the needs of domestic nuclear power plants.
The move is envisioned as an revised version of a development strategy for Ukraine's atomic energy sector for the period until 2030. It has already been submitted to the government for consideration.
The document envisions starting to develop the lower levels and continuing to develop the Vatutinsky and Michurinsky uranium deposits and other such fields with the corporate participation of domestic and foreign investors primarily to replenish the state reserves of uranium concentrate and to sell excess amounts.
(Interfax Aug. 20, 2007)
Ukraine has decided to begin development of the Novokonstantinovsk uranium field in the Kirovograd Region, according to the regional administration's press office. More than USD 280 million has already been allocated for the purpose, the office said.
At the same time, local environmentalists have questioned the wisdom of the go-ahead, pointing to extremely high numbers of oncology cases associated with the uranium deposits. They are demanding that the region be declared an ecological disaster area.
(ROSBALT March 30, 2004)
Surskoye, Gurevskoye uranium deposits (ISL), Dnepropetrovsk region
On Dec. 18, 2006, Uran Limited announced that it has entered into an agreement with The Department of Fuel and Energy of the Ukraine and SE VostGOK regarding the proposed joint development of two sedimentary-hosted uranium deposits located in the country's eastern region.
Subject to completion of a positive feasibility study, it is expected to lay the
foundations for Uran's transition to uranium production during 2007. The agreement covers the Surskoye and Gurevskoye uranium deposits, which are
located in eastern Ukraine between Dnipropetrovsky and Zheltye Vody which is the site of VostGOK's uranium processing operations.
/ Greenland 
