Tanzania is bracing to become the leading producer of Uranium on the African Continent as the pilot phase to extract yellow cakes kicks off in July 2023.
Tanzania’s first Uranium Explorer and producing firm intends to launch the preliminary mineral extraction operation project at the Mkuju site of Namtumbo District in Ruvuma region.
The pilot project will employ at least 165 Tanzanians.
Mantra Tanzania Limited, a subsidiary of Uranium One Mining Company and the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM) plans to later on venture into a sustainable 12 years project for the extraction and production of Urania.
Uranium One sells its uranium to major nuclear utilities in Asia, Russia, Europe, North America, South America and the Middle East.
Once the full project sails some 1700 workers will be taken aboard during the construction of the main factory facility.
Afterwards, Mantra Tanzania is confident to remain with nearly 700 permanent employees at the site.
The firm’s Managing Director Frederick Kibodya, they are fully prepared to execute the mining project professionally and fruitfully being an inaugural venture in East Africa.
The Mkuju River Project executed by Uranium One, through Mantra Tanzania will be the country’s first uranium mine.
The project will place Tanzania among the Top-Five producers of uranium in Africa.
Uranium One, has been exploring uranium deposits in Tanzania for the last 15 years since 2008.
In 2012 Mantra Tanzania conducted a feasibility study to determine resources of uranium deposits at Mkuju, as well as the environmental impact assessment (EIA) over the intended project.
Uranium is a heavy metal which has been used as an abundant source of concentrated energy for over 60 years, occurring in most rocks in concentrations of 2 to 4 parts per million.
Treated as a sensitive material Uranium is as common in the Earth’s crust as tin, tungsten and molybdenum.
“Globally, due to the sensitivity of uranium, very few companies have so far been given green light to mine, produce and supply the mineral, among them Uranium One and ROSATOM,” explained Kibodya.
Uranium oxide is the main source of raw material for firing nuclear power plants (NPP).
There are over 400 Nuclear Power Plants located in Russia, France, Japan, China, India, South Africa and the United States.
According to Kibodya, power generated through Nuclear Power Plants are carbon-free forms of energy that are more sustainable and relatively cleaner, proving to be more important now that the world is suffering from effects of global warming and climate change.
Uranium One is engaged through its subsidiaries and joint ventures in uranium production, and in the exploration and development of uranium properties, in among other areas, Kazakhstan and Tanzania
The company is focused on low cost and low technical risk operations, with existing, near and medium-term production visibility in some of the world’s largest uranium resource jurisdictions.
The company is the operator of, and owns a 13.9 percent interest in, the Mkuju River uranium development project in Tanzania.