Iran Inaugurates Uranium Mine and Processing Facilities

More self-sufficiency over the raw materials in nuclear fuel production cycle

Iran announced two key nuclear-related projects on Tuesday that expand the country's ability to extract and process uranium. The new uranium mine and processing facilities in the central city of Ardakan will give Iran more self-sufficiency over the raw materials in its nuclear fuel production cycle.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ordered the start of symbolic start of operations through a videoconference. Today was also the anniversary of Iran's National Day of Nuclear Technology, which marks the anniversary of the first time Iran enriched uranium in 2006.

Iran already has smaller uranium mines and processing facilities.

Saghand uranium mine consists of an open pit with a deep mine reached by two shafts. The Ardakan Yellowcake Production Plant is Iran's industrial-scale facility that turns ore into concentrate, also known as yellowcake, the feedstock for enrichment.

“You could not block our access to nuclear technology when we didn't have it. How can you take it from our hands now that we have it?” Ahmadinejad said during the inauguration ceremonies, addressing the West. “Iran has gone nuclear. Nobody will be able to stop it ... Cooperation with Iranian nation is the best solution for you.” (AP, 9 April)

Photo credit: In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaks at a ceremony marking Iran's National Day of Nuclear Technology, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Rouzbeh Jadidoleslam, Presidency Office)

Iran to Inaugurate Yellowcake Facilities in Ardakan

Iran plans to open two uranium processing facilities in the Central province of Yazd on Tuesday. Saghand uranium complex near the city of Ardakan and Shahid Rezayeenejad Yellowcake production facility are slated to be inaugurated by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. (Fars News Agency, 9 April)

Governor of Ardakan Ahmad Kamali said that uranium ores are extracted from the depth of 350 meters in Saghand mine near Ardakan and is then sent to Rezayeenejad complex to be converted into yellowcake.

The yellowcake extraction and processing facilities at Ardakan have been in operations for nearly a decade.  In September 2003, Iran confirmed its intention to build a full-scale milling facility at Ardakan after its existence was disclosed by the National Council of Resistance two months earlier.

The Fars report did not specify if the facilities to be inaugurated would be part of the old Ardakan complex.
The report also did not disclose the capacity of the new facilities. Experts have estimated that Saghand mines can produce nearly 50 tons of yellow cake each year and the combined capacity of the processing capacity of the plants in Ardakan is therefore thought to be slightly more than 50 tons.

Yellowcake is a uranium concentrate powder obtained through the milling and chemical processing of uranium ore forming a coarse powder insoluble powder containing about 80% uranium oxide.




Photo: Yellowcake (wikepedia)

Iran Produces Yellowcake - AEOI

The Director of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi announced today in Tehran that Iran has produced the first batch of its own “yellowcake,” the raw material for uranium enrichment. The country previously had to import yellowcake from abroad. Salehi added that with today’s announcement, Iran is now “self-sufficient” in the entire nuclear fuel cycle [IRNA, 5 December].

"Iran has become self-sufficient in the entire fuel cycle, starting from (uranium) exploration, mining and then turning it into yellowcake and converting it to UF6 and then turning it into fuel plates or pellets," Salehi said.

Salehi made the announcement on the eve of talks on Iran’s nuclear program with the world’s major powers scheduled for Monday.

This [the production of yellowcake] means Iran would go to the negotiations with strength and power," Salehi added. "No matter how much effort they put into their sanctions in creating all sorts of hindrance... our nuclear activities will proceed."