The Tummalappalle uranium mine in the Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh in southern India has the potential to become among largest uranium mines in the world, according to Dr. Srikumar Banerjee, Chairman of the Department of Atomic Energy. Estimates went up from 14,000 tonnes to 49,000 tonnes and there is a good possiblity that the ultimate number would be 150,000 tonnes, effectively doubling India’s known reserves of the mineral required to fuel India’s ambitious nuclear energy program.
India imports most of its uranium today. Even with the development of this new mine, demand will grow so rapidly that the country will continue to depend on foreign fuel for its light water reactor programs.
What this means:
Foreign reactor suppliers to India will probably still be requested to guarantee a lifetime supply of enriched uranium for the plants they build. But India will have some relief for its own heavy water plants, which can use un-enriched uranium.
