The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a unit of the Department of Atomic Energy, has begun prospecting for uranium in Arunachal Pradesh, close to the Chinese border.

DK Sinha, Director, AMD, said, “The Arunachal project is located within a few kilometers of the Chinese border and is likely to play a critical role in uranium production as its mining timeline can be significantly cut short.”

“AMD is also working on many exploratory projects which have yielded rare earths, and lithium in Mandya, gold, ziconium and other elements in various mining sites of the country. For the country, lithium is expected to play a significant role in the electric vehicle development and electric mobility drive.” said Sinha.

While the projects are being taken up and executed through seven regional centres, several potential sites across various States, Karnataka have been identified for next phase of development, he said.

M ultiple locations

He said, “AMD is currently engaged in mining at Jaguguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar, Turamidh, and Banduhurang in Jharkhand and Thummalapalle in Andhra Pradesh along with exploratory mining in Karnataka and Rajasthan.”

As of December 2019, AMD had identified 3,25,000 tonnes of uranium oxide resource with a major chunk in Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand, Meghalaya and Telangana along with some other States.

However, the project in Telangana has been suspended after the locals and some NGOs and the State opposing the project, he explained.

“We put in a lot of effort to convince the locals against the misinformation that has been spread by some, including books brought out without any scientific data. However, we had to suspend the project as we cannot do something which is against what the locals think and Government does not want,” he said.

During the interaction on ‘Radiation and Environment,’ where the unit heads of various Department of Atomic Energy establishments — UCIL, NFC, AMD and ECIL were present, the focus was on to communicate the importance of nuclear power in the energy basket.

Published on March 15, 2021