MINEX Forum

Tag: Nurlikum Mining

  • South Jelken uranium deposit in Uzbekistan is set for launch by end of 2025

    South Jelken uranium deposit in Uzbekistan is set for launch by end of 2025

    On June 13, 2025, Benoit Lemonne, CEO of Nurlikum Mining, announced that the South Jelken uranium deposit in Uzbekistan is expected to begin industrial development by the end of 2025. This statement was made during the Tashkent International Investment Forum.

    Nurlikum Mining, a joint venture formed in late 2019 between France’s Orano and Uzbekistan’s Navoiuran, has conducted extensive geological exploration over the past five years, including over 200,000 meters of drilling and various pilot projects. Lemonne highlighted the rapid progress of the project, reaching the production phase in under six years, which he believes will attract further international investment in the mining sector.

    In March 2025, Japanese corporation ITOCHU acquired a minority stake in Nurlikum Mining. The company currently holds two exploration licenses for uranium sites in the North and South Dzhetymbay areas of the Navoi region, granted in October 2020.

  • Orano Launches Uranium Mining Project in Uzbekistan with Nurlikum Mining JV

    Orano Launches Uranium Mining Project in Uzbekistan with Nurlikum Mining JV

    French nuclear fuels company Orano announced on Wednesday that it will begin developing the South Djengeldi uranium mining project in Uzbekistan. This initiative is part of its Nurlikum Mining joint venture with Navoiyuran, Uzbekistan’s state-owned mining company. The project is expected to operate for over a decade, with peak production projected at 700 metric tons of uranium annually, according to Orano’s statement.

    In a significant development, Japan’s ITOCHU Corporation has acquired a minority stake in the joint venture. The partners plan to launch an exploration program aimed at at least doubling the joint venture’s mineral resources. This collaboration underscores the growing international interest in Uzbekistan’s uranium reserves and highlights the country’s strategic importance in the global nuclear energy sector.

    The South Djengeldi project marks a key step in Orano’s expansion efforts and strengthens its partnership with Uzbekistan, a country rich in uranium resources. The involvement of ITOCHU Corporation further enhances the project’s potential, bringing additional expertise and investment to the venture.

  • Orano is investing up to $500 million in uranium mining in Uzbekistan

    Orano is investing up to $500 million in uranium mining in Uzbekistan

    French company Orano has expressed its intention to invest up to $500 million in uranium mining and processing in Uzbekistan, as revealed by the Minister of Mining Industry and Geology, Bobir Islamov. He mentioned the existence of a strategic partnership agreement between Uzbekistan and Orano. Currently, the French company is conducting geological exploration, and by the end of this year, a preliminary technical and economic justification for the project will be prepared.

    Islamov explained that the strategic agreement includes the exploration of two additional sites in the Tamdyn district of the Navoi region. The final decision regarding these sites will depend on the results of the technical and economic analysis. However, Islamov expressed optimism about the progress of the project.

    The minister emphasized that current uranium production volumes have already secured markets. As the production of nuclear fuel increases, Uzbekistan will consider expanding its exports based on market conditions.

    “When it comes to uranium, our prices are tied to global prices. If the price rises, our delivery costs increase as well,” stated the minister.

    Islamov highlighted the growth in uranium exports to various destinations this year, underscoring the importance of diversifying supply sources. In 2022, Uzbekistan increased uranium exports to the European Union by 2.71 times, reaching 441 tons.

    During a visit to Samarkand, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Orano, in collaboration with the local joint venture Nurlikum Mining, had initiated a pilot project for uranium mining. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed his support for the expansion of geological exploration for uranium deposits with Orano.

    Prior to Macron’s visit, Bloomberg reported that his objective in visiting Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan was to discuss the expansion of uranium supplies, as France considers Central Asia as an alternative to Russian nuclear fuel.

    In November 2022, the State Committee of Geology, Navoi Mining, and Orano signed a tripartite agreement to expand uranium mining and processing. Uzbekistan aims to follow the French model in the “nuclear fuel value chain.” Orano has stated its readiness to invest “several hundred million euros.”