Uranium Corporation of India Limited is awaiting outcome of the public hearing to take up the second uranium mine at Thummalapelle in Andhra Pradesh with an outlay of ₹700 crore.
“With huge reserves in the Thummalapalle, the focus in on taking up the second mine for which public hearing outcome is awaited. Once we secure this, we will go ahead with the mine. We are also working on to secure permissions for a third mine at Kannampally,” MS Rao, General Manager, Engineering Services, AP, Uranium Corporation, said.
“The public hearing was to take place in January but due to a stay it was postponed. We expect to take up the hearing again soon after securing various clearances,” he said.
The UCIL now operates six underground mines at Bagjata, Jaduguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar, Turamdih, and Mohuldih and one open pit mine –Banduhurang in Singhbum shear zone in Jharkhand. Ore produced from these mines are processed in two mining plants located at Jaduguda and Turamdih. The uranium concentrate produced in these plants are purified at Nuclear Fuel Complex in Hyderabad. They are purified enriched and fabricated to serve as nuclear fuel rods.
The UCIL currently operates a large underground mine and process plant at Thummalapple in YSR district of Andhra Pradesh.