nCa Report
President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov said on 19 February 2024 that we want to develop the Kyzyl- Ompol field on our own, where there are reserves worth $300-400 billion. The deposit has reserves of titanium -magnetite in the amount of 20 million tons.
He was speaking at Balykchi to the activists and representatives of local authorities of Ton district, Issyk-Kul region and Kochkor district of Naryn region.
He was there together with a team of experts in rare precious metals and uranium to explain to the residents and activists that it is a mistake to call Kyzyl-Ompol a uranium field.
According to a number of media outlets including 24.kg, Akchabar, and AKIpress, “95 percent of it consists of titanomagnetite, uranium is only 0.17 percent. There is no harm to the environment; on the contrary, it will bring benefits due to the removal of uranium. Heavy components are separated using electricity. No chemicals are used in Kyzyl-Ompol. The chemical process will take place in Kant,” the specialists said.
The head of state said that before the moratorium on the development of Kyzyl-Ompol field is lifted, the mining site will be examined by specialists.
“We won’t develop it right away. First, specialists need to study the field. First of all, I think about the people and about my children and relatives who live in this region,” he said.
Sadyr Japarov added that 100 percent of the profit from Kyzyl-Ompol will go to the state budget.
The background of the Kyzyl-Ompol controversy is that in the spring of 2019, Kyrgyzstan experienced a wave of rallies against the project to develop Tash-Bulak uranium deposit in Issyk-Kul region. The result of numerous protests was the revocation of the license for uranium development. Later, the republic passed a law prohibiting the exploration and development of uranium and thorium deposits.
This uranium deposit is located on the northern side of Kyzyl-Ompol mountain at an altitude of 1,640-3,000 meters above sea level. Geological exploration work in this area was carried out in 1950-1957.
This was the case of ill-informed activism, actually populism, obstructing the path of progress of a country.
According to experts, the share of uranium in the deposit is only 0.17%. The rest is phosphorus (3%), zirconium (2%) and thorium (0.22%).
The Kyrgyz president said that our uranium is not radioactive.
“It’s safe. After using it, we must dispose of it properly to avoid negative consequences. After the ores are extracted from the ground, our lands will be reclaimed. In addition, new recreational facilities can be created here, such as lakes Kazhy-Sai and Min-Kush,” the president said.
He said that if the Kyzyl-Ompol field becomes operational, the raw materials will be sold to all those who express a desire to buy it.
However, there are no plans to sell thorium.
“We will not sell only thorium, we must preserve it for the future generation. Do you know why? Since in the future the place of uranium may be taken by thorium. The time will come when 1 kg of thorium will be able to generate the same electricity as 2 tons of uranium. Perhaps even electric vehicles in the future will use thorium rather than lithium. Therefore, we must preserve our thorium reserves for the future,” he said. /// nCa, 29 February 2024 [some passages from 24.kg and Akchabar]