It is reported that India’s Department of Atomic Energy is planning to commercialize exploratory uranium mines, for speeding up domestic mining efforts.

Under the proposal, private players may be allowed to invest in designated mines and extract uranium, with state owned companies such as Uranium Corporation of India. Mines that have been discovered and explored so far by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, which carries out the initial exploration of nuclear minerals in India, are likely to be commercialized.

This move comes in the wake of around 190 tonnes per annum of additional uranium resources being established recently in Sikar district of Rajasthan and Lostoin and Wahkyn in Meghalaya.

Significant mineralized bands have also been identified in Belgaum and Gulbarga districts in Karnataka, Nalgonda, Guntur and Kadapa districts in Andhra Pradesh, Mahendragarh district in Haryana, Durg district in Chhattisgarh and Jajpur district in Orissa.