KATCO

The main activity of KATCO JV involves:

• geological exploration;
• planning and construction of capacities for uranium-bearing ore mining and processing and use of these capacities at deposits, especially at the Moinkum deposit in the South Kazakhstan region;
   

The KATCO JV mines uranium by the in-situ leaching method in the northern part of the Site No.1 Yuzhnyi of the Moinkum deposit and at the Site No.2 Tortkuduk, also of the Moinkum deposit.

The main events in the history of KATCO JV are:

• In 1999 KATCO JV received a license for uranium mining in the northern part of the Site No.1 Yuzhnyi and for exploration and mining of uranium at the Site No.2 Tortkuduk of the Moinkum deposit.
• In 2000 KATCO JV signed a contract for uranium mining at the Site No.1 Yuzhnyi and for exploration and mining of uranium at the Site No.2 Tortkuduk of the Moinkum deposit.
• In 2001 KATCO JV started pilot work on in-situ leaching at the Site No.1 Yuzhnyi and exploration at the Site No.2 Tortkuduk.
• In 2003 a feasibility study for a commercial operation project was approved.
• In 2004 the first concrete was poured for construction of the production plant at the Site No.1 Yuzhnyi. Drilling work (commercial mine development) at the Site No.1 Yuzhnyi of the Moinkum deposit was started the same year.
• In 2005 the contract area was extended, to include the northern part of the Site No.3 Tsentralnyi, The contract validity period was also extended until 03.03.2039 and construction of the shift camp was started attheSiteNo.2 Tortkuduk.
• In 2006 an ISL mine with a capacity of 500-1000 tonnes of uranium per year, at the Site No.1 Yuzhnyi, was put into operation.
• An ISL mine with a production capacity of 2000 tonnes of uranium per year, at the Site No.2 Tortkuduk, was put into operation in 2007.
• In 2008 AREVA and Kazatomprom signed a contract for KATCO to increase uranium production up to 4000 tonnes per year and for social sphere financing.

In 2008 the average number of employees was 1060 people.
 

Arthur de Fautereau is Director General of KATCO JV.

Contact information:

282 Dostyk avenue
Almaty, 050020,
The Republic of Kazakhstan

Phone: +7 (727) 244 52 52
Fax: +7 (727) 258-26 29
E-mail: almaty@katcokaz.com

AREVA
 

AREVA is a French industrial group with the major part of its shares (80%) belonging to the CEA governmental organization (the French atomic energy commission). AREVA was established on September 3, 2001 as a result of the merging of COGEMA and FRAMATONE.

AREVA is a global leader in the nuclear power sector. The Group represents a vertically integrated company with a complete nuclear production cycle including:

• Uranium mining and reprocessing;
• Uranium enrichment and fuel production;
• Construction of nuclear reactors and their maintenance;
• Reprocessing of used fuel.

AREVA is also engaged in transfer and distribution of electric power (taking third place in the world) and electric power production from alternative sources free from carbon dioxide emission (the so-called greenhouse gas).

The aim of AREVA is to provide everybody with access to the most environmentally sound, safe and economically advantageous power possible.