Inkai is a

uranium mine Uranium mining is the process of extraction of uranium ore from the earth. Over 50,000 tons of uranium were produced in 2019. Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia were the top three uranium producers, respectively, and together account for 68% of w ...

located in

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

. Commercial production commenced in 2009, with the main processing plant being commissioned in 2010. Inkai is a roll-front uranium deposit discovered in 1976.

Uranium Uranium is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Ura ...

will be recovered using in-situ leach (ISL) mining methods.

Reserves

As of December 31, 2013, proven and probable reserves are 59,689,700 tonnes at an average grade of 0.07% U₃O₈. (87.6 Million pounds)

Ownership

Inkai is owned and operated by Joint Venture Inkai (JVI), which is owned by

Cameco Corporation Cameco Corporation (formerly Canadian Mining and Energy Corporation) is the world's largest publicly traded uranium company, based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. In 2015, it was the world's second largest uranium producer, accounting for 18 ...

(40%) and KazAtomProm(60%).

Pause in production

On 2 January 2025, Cameco announced suspending uranium production at Inkai JV over what it called a "bureaucratic holdup". They joint venture had not gotten an extension to submit its project paperwork following a delayed submission to Kazakhstan’s energy ministry.

References

{{reflist Uranium mines in Kazakhstan Solution mines in Kazakhstan

Reserves

Ownership

Pause in production

See also

References