Lok Sabha Question No. 3880 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-09
Subject: Availability of Uranium
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY, NARAMALLI SIVAPRASAD

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.3880

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.08.2017

## AVAILABILITY OF URANIUM

3880.  SHRI KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY: DR. NARAMALLI  SIVA PRASAD:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the current annual production of Uranium in the country is enough to meet  the  annual  fuel  requirement  of  all  the  operational  uranium-based Nuclear Power Plants and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) if  not,  the  steps  taken/being taken by the Government to explore alternative fuel/technologies/imported fuel for the said purpose;
- (c) the  details  of  estimated  uranium  reserves  and  extraction  potential  in  the country, uranium mine-wise and State/UT-wise and the details of the uranium extracted  during  each  of  the  last  three  years,  uranium  mine-wise  and State/UT-wise along with the fund allocated and utilised thereon in the said period;
- (d) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  undertake  more  uranium  exploration activities in various States including  Andhra Pradesh;  and
- (e) whether the country is importing uranium from other countries and if so, the details  thereof  during  the  said  period  including  the  quantity  of  imported uranium along with the fund spend thereon, country-wise?

## ANSWER

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  PERSONNEL,  PUBLIC  GRIEVANCES  & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

- (a) Yes  Sir.  Out  of  22  Nuclear  reactors,  presently  in  operation  8  reactors  with aggregate capacity of 2400 MW are fuelled by indigenous uranium. These reactors are now being operated close to their rated capacity. 14 reactors with an  aggregate  capacity  of  4380  MW  are  under  IAEA  Safeguards  and  use imported uranium.
- (b) Does not arise.

- (c) Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit  of  Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), which has a mandate to identify and  evaluate  mineral  resources  of  uranium,  has  so  far  established  2,70,636 tonne (t) in situ uranium oxide (U3O8) [2,29,499 t U] as on July, 2017.

The uranium deposits established by AMD are mined by Uranium Corporation of  India  Limited  (UCIL),  a  Public  Sector  Undertaking  (PSU)  of  DAE.  The deposits  at  Jaduguda,  Narwapahar,  Bagjata,  Bhatin,  Banduhurang,  Turamdih and Mohuldih in Jharkhand and Tummalapalle in Andhra Pradesh are currently under  exploitation  by  UCIL.  It  is  not  in  the  public  interest  to  disclose  the indigenous uranium extraction details.

State-wise  details  of  the  uranium  resources,  including  Karnataka,  are  given below:

| State   | District            | Name of the deposit              | Uranium reserve   | Uranium reserve   |
|---------|---------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| State   | District            | Name of the deposit              | U 3 O 8 (t)       | U (t)             |
|         | Kadapa              | Tummalapalle Group               | 1,41,780          | 1,20,229          |
|         | Guntur              | Koppunuru                        | 2,761             | 2,341             |
|         | Sub-total           | Sub-total                        | 1,44,541          | 1,22,570          |
|         | Nalgonda            | Lambapur                         | 1,450             | 1,230             |
|         | Nalgonda            | Peddagattu                       | 7,585             | 6,432             |
|         |                     | Chitrial                         | 9,515             | 8,069             |
|         | Sub-total           | Sub-total                        | 18,550            | 15,731            |
|         |                     | Jaduguda                         | 8,038             | 6,816             |
|         |                     | Bhatin                           | 1,700             | 1,442             |
|         |                     | Narwapahar (NWP) + NWP Extn.     | 11,780            | 9,990             |
|         |                     | Narwapahar (Deeper + Khundungri) | 2,503             | 2,122             |
|         |                     | Turamdih Group                   | 11,510            | 9,761             |
|         |                     | Banduhurang                      | 6,489             | 5,502             |
|         | East Singhbhum      | Bagjata                          | 1,860             | 1,577             |
|         | East Singhbhum      | Mohuldih                         | 3,330             | 2,824             |
|         | East Singhbhum      | Garadih                          | 1,270             | 1,077             |
|         | East Singhbhum      | Kanyaluka                        | 1,970             | 1,670             |
|         | East Singhbhum      | Nimdih                           | 815               | 691               |
|         |                     | Rajgaon                          | 1,200             | 1,018             |
|         |                     | Singridungri-Banadungri          | 10,315            | 8,747             |
|         | Saraikela- Kharswan | Bangurdih                        | 1,612             | 1,367             |
|         | Sub-total           | Sub-total                        | 64,392            | 54,604            |

|                  |                  | KPM (Domiasiat)       | 9,500    | 8,056    |
|------------------|------------------|-----------------------|----------|----------|
|                  |                  | Wahkyn                | 5,381    | 4,563    |
|                  |                  | Gomaghat-Phlangdiloin | 1,000    | 848      |
| Meghalaya        | West Khasi Hills | Tyrnai                | 600      | 509      |
|                  |                  | Lostoin               | 869      | 737      |
|                  |                  | Wahkut                | 4,155    | 3,523    |
|                  |                  | Umthongkut            | 1,535    | 1,302    |
|                  | Sub-total        | Sub-total             | 23,040   | 19,538   |
| Rajasthan        | Sikar            | Rohil                 | 8,261    | 7,005    |
| Rajasthan        | Udaipur          | Umra                  | 1,160    | 984      |
| Rajasthan        | Sub-total        | Sub-total             | 9,421    | 7,989    |
| Karnataka        | Yadgir           | Gogi                  | 4,267    | 3,618    |
| Karnataka        | South Kanara     | Walkunji-Yellakki     | 415      | 352      |
| Karnataka        | Sub-total        | Sub-total             | 4,682    | 3,970    |
| Chhattisgarh     | Rajanandgaon     | Bodal                 | 1,530    | 1,298    |
| Chhattisgarh     | Rajanandgaon     | Bhandaritola          | 518      | 439      |
| Chhattisgarh     | Surguja          | Jajawal               | 1,438    | 1,219    |
| Chhattisgarh     |                  | Dhumath-Dhabi         | 500      | 424      |
| Chhattisgarh     | Sub-total        | Sub-total             | 3,986    | 3,380    |
| Uttar Pradesh    | Sonbhadra        | Naktu                 | 785      | 666      |
| Uttar Pradesh    | Sub-total        | Sub-total             | 785      | 666      |
| Uttarakhand      | Rudraprayag      | Pokhri-Tunji          | 100      | 85       |
|                  | Sub-total        | Sub-total             | 100      | 85       |
| Himachal Pradesh | Una              | Rajpura               | 364      | 309      |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla           | Kasha-Kaladi          | 200      | 170      |
| Himachal Pradesh | Mandi            | Tileli                | 220      | 186      |
| Himachal Pradesh | Sub-total        | Sub-total             | 784      | 665      |
| Maharashtra      | Gondia           | Mogarra               | 355      | 301      |
| Maharashtra      | Sub-total        | Sub-total             | 355      | 301      |
| Grand total      | Grand total      | Grand total           | 2,70,636 | 2,29,499 |

[1t U3O8   = 0.848 t uranium metal (U)]

Funds allocated and utilized by Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of Department of Atomic energy (DAE), in last three years is as follows:

` in Crore

| Year    |   Fund allocated, i.e., Budgetary Support (BS) |   Fund Utilized, i.e., Budgetary Support (BS) and fund from Internal and Extra Budgetary Resources (IEBR) |
|---------|------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2014-15 |                                             79 |                                                                                                     14.78 |
| 2015-16 |                                             32 |                                                                                                    249.18 |
| 2016-17 |                                             25 |                                                                                                     45.84 |
| Total   |                                            136 |                                                                                                    309.8  |

Excess fund of ` 173.8 Crore utilised  on  account  of  cost  overrun  of ` 566 Crore for Tummalapalle project which is yet to be approved by the Government.

- (d) Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), which has a mandate to  identify and evaluate mineral resources of uranium, is presently carrying out  integrated,  multi-disciplinary  exploration  for  uranium  in  several  potential thrust areas of the country, including Andhra Pradesh, by utilising state-of-theart technology in remote-sensing, geological, radiometric, geochemical, heliborne / ground geophysical surveys and drilling. Besides, various laboratories  equipped  with  modern  and  high-tech  instruments  are  providing timely and accurate analytical support to the on-going exploration programme.

Important  areas  which  are  currently  under  survey  and/or  prospecting  to augment uranium resources include:

1. Tummalapalle -Motunutulapalle -Kanampalle -Gidankivaripalle, Kamagutapalle  -  Kammapalle,  Kadapa  district,  Veldurthi  -  Ramallakota, Kurnool  district,  Subbareddipalem,  Guntur  district,  Andhra  Pradesh  and Mathampalli-Mellacheruvu, Nalgonda district, Telangana
2. Gogi-Kanchankayi, Darshanapur, Yadgir district, Suldhal -Gujanal, Belgaum district, Karnataka and Pudur, Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu
3. Singridungri-Banadungri, Hitku, Rajdah, East Singhbhum  district and Bangurdih,  Gurulpada-Nayadih,  Galudih-Sankadih,  Mahalimurup-Dugridih, Seraikela-Kharsawan district, Jharkhand

4. Wahkut-Kulang,  Southwest  Khasi  Hills  district,  Waiting-Umla,  West  Khasi Hills  district,  Anek-Rongmalgiri,  West  Garo  Hills  district,  Meghalaya  and Hanspani-Chilimkhola; Mikir Hills, KarbiAnglong, Nagaon districts, Assam
5. Rohil, Narsinghpuri, Sikar district,  Jahaz-Maota,  Jamalpur,  Jhunjhunu district,    Umra,  Udaipur  district,  Loha-Padihara,  Churu  district,  Rajasthan and Than-Muli, Surendranagar district, Gujarat
6. Rambas-Gorir,  Mahendragarh  district,  Haryana,  Rajpura  -  Polian,  Una district,  Himachal  Pradesh  and  Naktu-Anjangira,  Sonbhadra  district,  Uttar Pradesh

Dharangmau - Kachhar, Betul district, Barhi-Sleemnabad; Jabalpur, Katni, Shahdol  districts,    Madhya  Pradesh,  Bhandaritola,  Rajnandgaon  district and Pakni, Surajpur district, Chhattisgarh

- (e) Yes,  Sir.  The  country-wise  details  of  imports  of  uranium  with  funds  spend thereon are tabulated below:

| Year    | Source                      | Item          |   Quantity(MT) |   Expenditure ( ` in crore) |
|---------|-----------------------------|---------------|----------------|-----------------------------|
| 2014-15 | M/s. TVEL, Russia           | UO 2 Pellets  |         296.54 |                      401.49 |
| 2014-15 | M/s.Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan | UOC           |         283.42 |                      216.93 |
| 2015-16 | M/s.Cameco, Canada          | UOC           |         250.74 |                      158.28 |
| 2015-16 | M/s. TVEL, Russia           | EUO 2 Pellets |          42.15 |                      303.65 |
| 2015-16 | M/s. TVEL, Russia           | UO 2 Pellets  |         303.78 |                      565.17 |
| 2016-17 | M/s.Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan | UOC           |         923.85 |                      304.21 |
| 2016-17 | M/s.Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan | UOC           |         999.8  |                      590.12 |
| 2016-17 | M/s.Cameco, Canada          | UOC           |        1233.68 |                      538.34 |
| 2016-17 | M/s. TVEL, Russia           | UO 2 Pellets  |         187.33 |                      395.29 |

********