Government prepares to open uranium mining market.

THE federal government study open up the uranium mining sector the private initiative through partnerships with Brazilian Nuclear Industries (INB), a state-owned company that currently holds the monopoly of the nuclear fuel cycle in the country. The information was published by Bloomberg this Monday (13). According to a draft of regulationa public company must maintain minimum participation of 20% in each projectwhile private partners will be able to invest in exploration, processing, industrialization and commercialization of mineralThe text, which is still under review by Ministry of Mines and Energy and by Office of the Chief of Staff, predicts that the INB can perform bidding processes to joint exploration and to formalize agreements with national and foreign companies. According to the proposal, the private investors would assume project implementation costs and they could stop majority participation, in the event that the state-owned company's contribution in mineral assets was less than the capital required for the development of the operation. The draft also establishes that holders of mining rights they will 12-month period, after the decree comes into effect, to inform the existence of nuclear substances in their areasNext, they should establish a partnership with… INB or provide the ore to the state-owned companyFailure to comply with the rule may result in the loss of exploration rights. According to INB, the world uranium production did not accompany the demand growthwhile new reactors come online and existing plants have their extended lifespanAlthough it holds approximately 3% of the world's uranium reservesthe Brazil it still produces insufficient volume to fully supply its two nuclear reactorsINB's strategy includes doubling its capacity to Uranium concentrate production at the Caetité (BA) unit.of 400 to 800 tons per year…in addition to attracting partners to share risks and accelerate new projects. According to… president of the state-owned company, Tomás Albuquerque Figueiredocompanies of China, France, Russia and Canada They have already expressed interest in future partnerships.

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.