OREANDA-NEWS. On August 12, 2009 The Scientific-Technical Council of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation has examined the project to build an ore mining and processing complex on the basis of Elkon uranium area in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), reported the press-centre of Minatom. 

35 experts and managers of the leading research and development organizations and uranium mining companies of Rosatom and the Russian Academy of Sciences – Technoproekt, All-Russian Research Institute of Chemical Technology (VNIIHT), All-Russian Research Institute of Industrial Technology (VNIPIPT), Atomredmetzoloto, Elkon Mining Complex – considered a feasibility report concerning the construction of the complex, the reserves of the area and the mining and processing technologies to be applied at the complex.  

SRK Consulting presented an evaluation of reserves and offered mining and processing technologies. The Council discussed the engineering solutions and business plans specified in the feasibility report and decided to recommend the owner of the project to approve the document. At the same time, the Council recommended applying engineering solutions and methods that might help to reduce the cost of the finish product, updating the study of the final mining parameters adopted in 1978 and continuing prospecting activities in Elkon ore district.

The design documents on the Elkon Mining Complex project are being drafted by EGMK-Project company in the framework of the federal program “Complex Development of South Yakutia” with the financial support of the Investment Fund of the Russian Federation, which has allocated 2.657bln RUR for this work. The administrator of the funds is Rosatom, the co-investors are Atomredmetzoloto and Elkon Mining Complex. The design documents are supposed to be ready in 2010. The total investments in the project are estimated at 90.1bln RUR. By 2024 the complex is supposed to mine 5,000 tons of uranium a year. The project will also involve private investors from both Russia and abroad. According to the preliminary estimates, Elkon uranium area has 350,000 tons of uranium – 7% of the global reserves.