Tajikistan: Vostochnyy Rare Metal Industrial
Association (Vostokredmet)
LOCATION: Chkalovsk (also
called Atomabad and possibly Khudzhandom), near Khodjent, formerly Leninabad [William N. Szymanski, "The Uranium Industry Of The
Commonwealth Of Independent States," Uranium Industry Annual 1991,
Washington, D.C.: Energy Information Administration, 1992, p. 11. See also
"Eurasia," p. 63.] ADMINISTRATION: Director General: Zafar
Abduqahhorovich Roziqov [Tajik Radio 1, 20 March 2000; in "Tajik President
Appoints Eight Deputies to Upper House," FBIS Document
CEP20000321000012.]{Entered 5/9/2001 KB} BACKGROUND: Vostokredmet, known as the
Leninabad Mining and Chemical Combine until 1992, was
established in 1945 to mine and process uranium from deposits in Tajikistan,
Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.[1]
The combine incorporated seven mines and several plants, including Uranium
Plant V, also known as Combine No. 6.[1,2] During the Cold War years,
the facility produced yellowcake for the Soviet nuclear power and defense
industries, processing up to 1,000,000 metric tons (t) of uranium ore per year. The uranium for the first Soviet nuclear bomb, which was tested at
Semipalatinsk in August 1949, was produced at Chkalovsk.[3] According
to reports, Chkalovsk once had the capability to convert uranium concentrate
into uranium hexafluoride and housed a secret uranium enrichment plant built in 1940.[4,5] Sources: [1] International Institute for Applied Systems
Analysis, "International Science and Technology Center Project #245
Radleg," 1996, Kurchatov Institute Web Site, http://www.kiae.ru/radleg/ch1e.htm. [2] Ostankino Television First Channel Network, 9
December 1993; in "Uranium Plant Changes To Gold Refining
Production," FBIS Document JPRS-TND-93-001, 6 January 1994. [3] O. Tikunov, "Uranovyye rudniki
v Tadjikistane nakhodyatsya na grani zakrytiya," Russkoye Byuro Novostey,
1 February 1999; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com. [4] JPRS-TND-92-002, 31 January 1992, pp. 50-51.
[5] JPRS-TND-92-003, 14 February 1992, pp. 32-33.{Updated
5/10/2001 KB} ACTIVITIES: The status of U3O8
production at Chkalovsk is unclear.
According to some reports, uranium operations at Chkalovsk were shut down in 1994.[1]
However, according to a February 1999 Russian News Bureau report, Vostokredmet continues to process small amounts of uranium,
though its main operations are the processing of gold, silver,
vanadium, and other precious metals. Vostokredmet has explored the
possibility of partnering with nuclear
industries in Kazakhstan and Russia.[2] Russia, in turn, has suggested that
Vostokredmet might one day join a uranium venture formed in 2001 between
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Russia.[3] In July 2000, Chinese
companies expressed interest in investing in Vostokredmet.[4]
Sources: [1] "Tajikistan," Nuexco Review, 1994, p. 59. [2] O. Tikunov, "Uranovyye
rudniki v Tadjikistane nakhodyatsya na grani zakrytiya," Russkoye Byuro
Novostey, 1 February 1999; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com. [3] Vladimir Kucherenko, "Kirgiziya zaklyuchayet 'uranovyy proyekt' s
Rossiyey," Rossiskaya biznes-gazeta, 26 December 1999, p. 7; in
Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com. [4] Interfax Daily Business Report, Vol. IX, Issue #136 (2309),
21 July 2000; in "Chinese Corporation Eyes Tajik Uranium complex,"
FBIS Document CEP20000720000242.{Entered 5/9/2991 KB}
VOSTOKREDMET DEVELOPMENTS: 7/2000: CHINESE CORPORATION EYES VOSTOKREDMET In July 2000, Wang Benyan, the head of the Chinese
uranium company Hai-Yu, told Tajikistani Minister of the Economy and Foreign Economic
Relations Yakhe Azimov that his company was prepared to find an
investor for Vostokredmet in exchange for 49% of Vostokredmet's stock and guarantees
from the Tajikistani government that the credits will be repaid. Wang
said that Fenda Group of America, Inc. was also prepared to finance the
retooling of Vostokredmet with a 10-year, $100 million loan. Azimov declined
the offer, since a previously-signed memorandum with the International
Monetary Fund prohibits the Tajikistani government from issuing guarantees
to international creditors. The parties agreed to explore other
alternatives.
[Interfax Daily Business Report, Vol. IX, Issue #136 (2309),
21 July 2000; in "Chinese Corporation Eyes Tajik Uranium complex,"
FBIS Document CEP20000720000242.]{Entered 5/9/2991 KB}
2/1/99: VOSTOKREDMET SEEKS COOPERATION
WITH RUSSIA, KAZAKHSTAN Vostokredmet
Director General Zafar Roziqov indicated that the enterprise was exploring
the possibility of partnering with the nuclear industries of Kazakhstan
and Russia. Under such a venture Russia would provide investment,
chemicals, and tools; Kazakhstan would contribute raw material; and
Tajikistan would process the uranium ore. According to Roziqov, the
three-year-old idea has support from the governments of Russia and
Tajikistan, but not yet from that of Kazakhstan.
[O. Tikunov, "Uranovyye rudniki
v Tadjikistane nakhodyatsya na grani zakrytiya," Russkoye Byuro Novostey,
1 February 1999; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.]{Entered 5/9/2001 KB}
5/30/96: COOPERATION ON THE PEACEFUL USES OF NUCLEAR
ENERGY It was reported that delegates from Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Ukraine approved a plan for cooperation
on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy during their meeting in Minsk. The
plan covers nuclear power development, spent fuel and radioactive waste
management, the fuel cycle, safety assurance, and the use of radiation
technologies in medicine and agriculture. [Nucnet, "CIS Accord on Nuclear Energy Links,"
News No. 277-80, 30 May 1996, p. 2] {Entered 8/28/96 GB}
4/96: FORMER DEFENSE FACILITY IS CONVERTED INTO
GALOSHES FACTORY As part of a defense conversion scheme, leaders in
Tajikistan have decided to convert the defense giant "Sunrise of the
East," which formerly produced and enriched uranium and other rare
metals, into a galoshes factory. ["...And In Dushanbe In The Stream -- Galoshes Made From
Atomic Pumps," Komsomolskaya pravda, 3 April 1996, p. 5.]
1/96: TAJIK U3O8 MAY STILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET It is reported that small quantities of Tajik uranium may
still be available on the market, but this phenomenon is expected to
decline. In 1995, less than 300,000 pounds of U3O8 originating from
Tajikistan were imported into the United States. In 1993, the International
Trade Court concluded that the US-Tajik Suspension Agreement was no longer
necessary since Tajikistan imports posed no threat to the US uranium
industry. ["Suspension Agreements: The Status Quota," The
Nuclear Review, January 1996, p. 19.]
9/95:TAJIKISTAN TERMINATES SUSPENSION AGREEMENT Ukraine and Tajikistan terminated their Uranium Suspension
Agreements with the US Department of Commerce which had been based on
price-tied quotas. ["What Next? For the World Uranium Market," Nuclear
Engineering International, September 1995, pp. 22-23.]
6/95: TAJIK URANIUM MINES ARE NO LONGER IN OPERATION According to Uzbek officials, there are no longer any
uranium mines in operation in Tajikistan. Some officials noted that uranium
resources had been exhausted, others explained that all qualified
specialists had left the country. [Emily Ewell, "Trip Report - Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and
Ukraine," 21 June 1995, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, p. 12.]
5/95: WESTERN RADIOACTIVE WASTE TO BE STORED IN
TAJIKISTAN It was reported that Western governments and businesses
will pay Dushanbe $500 million over the next 30 years to store radioactive
waste originating in Western countries. The first shipment arrived in St.
Petersburg on 5/16/95 then was routed to Tajikistan. Russian
environmentalists expressed concern over the shipment of radioactive
materials across the Russian Federation. [The Monitor, 19 May 1995; Vol.1, No.15.]
10/21/92: ANTIDUMPING INVESTIGATIONS ARE SUSPENDED The US Commerce Department decided to suspend its uranium
antidumping investigations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Ukraine, and
Uzbekistan as long as a price-based quota, starting when the US market price
is $13/lb for U308 is imposed. The investigation was filed by an ad hoc
group of US uranium miners and the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers Union.
Agreements were also signed with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan but no quotas
were established since these republics have uranium mills but no mines.
Should Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan open any mines at a later date, the
agreement states that quotas may be set. This agreement will remain in force
until 15 October 2000. [Nuclear Fuel, 21 October 1994, pp. 1-6, "CIS
Republics Sign U Suspension Agreement to End Antidumping Agreement."]
