Ust-Kamenogorsk

 

On October 29, 2009 Ulba Metallurgical Plant, an affiliate of National Atomic Company Kazatomprom, celebrates its 60th anniversary.

Vladimir Shkolnik, President of Kazatomprom, top executives of subsidiary and joint enterprises of Kazatomprom, scientists, partners from near and far abroad countries, Berdybek Saparbayev, akim (governor) of Eastern Kazakhstan region, Islam Abishev, akim of Ust-Kamenogorsk, and public members are taking part in anniversary celebration.

 

RARE METALS TODAY

Tantalum production at Ulba Metallurgical Plant is the only one on CIS territory and one of the four largest in the world making products from this metal. It has advanced equipment that makes it possible to process any tantalum- and niobium-containing raw material.

Up to two thirds of tantalum in the world is produced in the form of high-capacity powder and wire for manufacturing miniature tantalum condensers. It would have been impossible to make modern mobile telephones, audio-video-photo-equipment and notebooks without them. Miniature tantalum condensers are used in automobile industry and military-industrial complex. Besides, having such unique characteristics as high-temperature strength, plasticity and high corrosion stability tantalum is actively used in metallurgy and the metal working industry, in chemical mechanic engineering, for professional equipment (X-ray equipment), in aerospace engineering, in medicine (as material for restorative surgery and prosthetics as it is the most suitable material for the human body – it is non-rejectable) and in the nuclear power industry (as a heat-exchanging unit for nuclear power systems).

In early 2004 pilot-production line for high capacity condensing tantalum powders production was put into operation. When the new technology was proved out, in December 2008, an industrial site was opened for producing of this high-technology product. Thus, through UMP, Kazakhstan became the fourth country in the world producing high capacity powders. This was the first project, in the Republic of Kazakhstan, in the field of condenser construction and one of the main conditions for electronic industry development.

Processing chain for producing tantalum wire that serves as a capacitor lead was created at tantalum production. Essential equipment was purchased and adjusted; staff was trained to produce high quality product in a required volume. Besides, some technological sites for producing metal niobium from tantalum were modernized and reequipped.

In 2009 the following efforts were realized: reconstruction of furnace for heat of large-size ingots, full scale tests of another furnace for electronic heat, 800 kW, implementation of facility for hydroabrasive cutting of tantalum and niobium, production of spraying targets from tantalum of high purity.

So far there is a circle of customers for Ulba tantalum products. Well-known companies from the USA, Russia, France, Germany and Japan are among the UMP partners.

Beryllium production operations of full cycle at UMP – from concentrates to finished products – are also unique. There are just two such enterprises in the world (the first one is Brush Wellman Inc., Upland, California, USA). Flow sheet and equipment applied at Ulba Metallurgical Plant allow using different kinds of beryllium-containing raw materials and producing a wide range of products based on beryllium and its alloys.

On international market the UMP presents different sorts of copper-beryllium, aluminum-beryllium, nickel-beryllium alloys, metal beryllium, metal beryllium powder, structural beryllium, ceramic product based on beryllium oxide; beryllium oxide powders, ingots from beryllium copper of different profiles and sizes.

Technologies applied at beryllium production allow getting a large variety of products with unique characteristics, in particular, constituent parts based on beryllium which can be used for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, a project that engaged a number of developed countries. 

At the moment the UMP has close contacts with its partners from America and Europe. Beryllium is actively promoted into the markets of Japan and China. In 2004 a subsidiary enterprise, Ulba-China was created in free economic zone of China. Russian JV BerylliUM is operating. In March 2008, within the frame of JV Yingtan Ulba Shine Metal Materials Co., Ltd., fist investments were made into the construction of a plant on beryllium copper rolling. The project has been implemented jointly with Ningbo Xingye Electronic Copper Strip Co., Ltd, the leader on the market of copper alloys in China. First production capacities have been put into operation.

 

URANIUM PRODUCTION

Uranium production operations of Ulba Metallurgical Plant are aimed to manufacturing of fuel assemblies for reactors of various designs. From the date of certification of uranium dioxide powders at the end of the nineties of the past century UMP uranium production has entered the USA market and then pilot lots of uranium dioxide powders were supplied to Korea, Japan and other countries.

The processing of uranium-bearing materials of American company GNF has become an important step for the plant in implementation of the program for rendering the services at international uranium market. Specifically for this purpose, the line for processing of hardly extracted raw materials was mounted. This gave a chance to UPM to expand their offers at the services market, to engage new customers.

Way back in the nineties of the past century UMP had offered to their customers a uranium fuel of new generation – with burnable absorbers from erbium and gadolinium oxides. It is more effective and safe in service. In 1999 the commercial production of natural uranium oxide (U3O8) which is rich in Kazakhstan was mastered. On the eve of Ulba 60th anniversary the new line for processing of natural uranium chemical concentrate was put into operation in the uranium production section in July, 2009.

In July, 2008, Kazatomprom reached an agreement with Cameco (Canada) regarding establishing on UMP basis of the Joint Venture for production of uranium hexafluoride. Simultaneously with this the agreement with French AREVA for arrangement at Ulba Metallurgical Plant of the operations for fabrication of fuel assemblies for reactors of French design has been executed.  

Today the process of pellets certification is going on in AREVA, in parallel pellets are certified for Chinese customers. Upon completion of this work the output of fuel pellets for nuclear power plants of China and then for other countries using reactors of different types will be launched on a commercial scale.  

 

PRIORITY – EFFICIENCY AND QUALITY

In 1998, Ulba Metallurgical Plant was the first in Kazakhstan receiving the certificate of German agency TÜV-CERT on compliance of quality management system with the requirements of ISO-9002 international standard, and in 2003 for the first time in the country and among CIS nuclear industry enterprises it passed ecological certification audit. In 2009, the recertification audits of plant’s quality and environmental management systems in terms of their conformance to the current versions of ISO-9001 and ISO-14001 were successfully conducted.

The plant science plays a significant role in the development of production, technological advancement, mastering of new product types. The specialists of the Central Research Laboratory make remarkable contribution to the achievements of the plant, expansion of sales markets and circle of customers of Ulba products.   

The high emphasis at the plant is placed on the development of corporate culture which means not only production achievements, formation of staff solidarity and unity but high level of social responsibility of the plant both to work collective and inhabitants of the city.

The active social policy has become a sort of visiting card of UMP. The constant care of pensioners, continuing attention to recreation conditions, health promotion for plant workers and members of their families is the most important area of activity of plant’s administration.

The plans for development of the atomic industry of Kazakhstan approved by the President of the country and welcomed by the government where Ulba plant plays an important role covering manufacture of uranium, beryllium and tantalum products serve to a large extent as recognition of credibility of the enterprise and professionalism of Ulba plant workers.

 

BRIEF BACKGROUND

The development of beryllium and tantalum production operations was started at the plant practically at one and the same time. The technological areas which laid the foundations for these two key departments of the plant were put into operation in 1951.    

In 1959 fabrication of pellets from this metal has been implemented at tantalum production section and in 1962 an output of ingot metal was commenced. In 1969 this production section became a center of the plant for development of unique technology for production of superconductive materials. Ulba plant was awarded with State Prize of USSR for creation of advanced tantalum production; one more prize was awarded for development of the technology for superconductive materials production.  

Many achievements were made in the beryllium production. In 1956 the production of beryllium oxide of high purity was implemented in the plant. The manufacturing from this metal of the components of electronic devices used in aviation and missilery, the so called ceramics, was started in sixties.   

In the middle 60s the commercial production of metallic beryllium and its products was set up at UMP. They were used both for defense purposes and in nuclear power industry. Ust-Kamenogorsk beryllium serves as a tamper in nuclear power reactors; it is applied in aerospace engineering. The USSR State Prize is awarded to Ulba plant for development of new ceramic material for the needs of radio electronics, The Prize of USSR Council of Ministers – for development of cast alloys on beryllium basis for aerospace engineering. 

The date of setting up of uranium production is usually referred to 1967, when the department for fabrication of fuel assemblies from highly enriched uranium for reactors of atomic submarines has started to operate. Producing of the base of ceramic nuclear fuel – low enriched uranium dioxide powders in 1973 has become the new stage in the development of entire plant. In 1978 fabrication from it of fuel pellets for nuclear power plants was also launched. Toward the end of eighties Ulba Metallurgical Plant became their largest world producer. At that time the plant has produced about 80% of fuel for reactors of USSR nuclear power plants.

 

Ulba Metallurgical Plant is one of the recognized world leaders in the production of fuel pellets from the uranium dioxide for NPPs as well as the products containing beryllium, tantalum and niobium. The enterprise is a part of the National Atomic Company Kazatomprom.

 

Kazatomprom is the national operator of the Republic of Kazakhstan for export of uranium and its compounds, rare metals, nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants, special purpose equipment, technologies and double-use materials. The main activities of the company are: geological exploration, uranium production, manufacture of nuclear fuel cycle products, reactor construction, nuclear power plants, production of construction materials, the electric energy sector, scientific support of production and social welfare and training of personnel. Today Kazatomprom has more than 25,000 employees and is amongst the leading uranium production companies in the world.

 

PR Department

Kazatomprom
tel: + 7 /727/ 244 62 54