India makes massive uranium discovery

India's dream of nuclear power got a boost with the discovery of huge reserves at a uranium mine in the Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh in India. which could contain up to 150,000 tonnes of uranium according to Shivom Seth, Mineweb.

In a major shot in the arm to India's nuclear programme, scientists have found massive uranium deposits in the mines of Tummalapalle, in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh. The mine has the potential to become the largest uranium mine in the world with reserves that could potentially go up to 150,000 tonnes.

India's Department of Atomic Energy said it has confirmed the presence of close to 49,000 tonnes of uranium, which is three times the original estimate of the area`s deposits. But, the Atomic energy agency is hopeful that the deposit could actually be much bigger. Srikumar Banerjee, chairman of India's Atomic Energy Commission, told media on Tuesday, "At today's estimates, the uranium reserves are to the tune of 49,000 tonnes.

We expect it to be three-fold of that."'Nuclear Power Corporation of India's chairman Shreyans Kumar Jain added: ``Our initial estimate was 15,000 tonnes. Now, it is confirmed at 49,000 tonnes. The reserves may further increase three-fold.'' He said uranium deposits in Tummalapalle appeared to be spread over 35 kilometres and that exploratory work was under way. At present, India is estimated to have total reserves of about 175,000 tonnes of uranium. See the full story in Mineweb here.