New Law in Kyrgyzstan Bans Uranium Mining
Uranium processing site in the southern mining town of Mailuu Suu in Kyrgyzstan. (Flickr)
Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbai Jeenbenkov signed a decree banning the development of uranium and thorium deposits effective beginning of 2020. The bill’s authors said that the law was written in response to public demand, Times of Central Asia reports.
Uranium deposit development had been planned for the Ton district in northeastern Kyrgyzstan. However, residents of the Kok-Moinok village in the region criticized this development, citing concerns for the environment, agriculture, and tourism.
The new ban is intended for the “protection of health of the population, lands, water objects, plant and animal life, providing the rights of citizens to the environment... and also radiation and ecological safety.” The law not only bans the development of uranium and thorium deposits but also disallows the dumping and transfer of these materials within the country’s borders.
Reception to the new law has been mixed with many leading business associations responding negatively. Times of Central Asia reports that the Union of Entrepreneurs of Kyrgyzstan, the Mining Guild of Kyrgyzstan, and the Association of Mining and Geologists have complained that the bill was passed in a hurry and will negatively impact the economy; the ban will supposedly result in the loss of development profits and harm the investment attractiveness of the country. They also argue that the language of the bill is too broad, as over 80 deposits could be included in the ban since other elements often contain traces of uranium and thorium. Independent expert Alik Januzakov said, “The lost profit of the developers will be $4 billion,” at a press conference in Bishkek.
However, according to Doctor of Technical Sciences Kushbakali Tajibaev, the law promotes positive change. During the bill’s parliamentary discussions, Tajibaev proposed that the ban last 50 years, maintaining that more environmentally sound processes could emerge in that time for safer extraction. One kilogram of enriched uranium contains the energy of 100 tons of coal, and Tajibaev believes that Kyrgyzstan has the potential to be a hub for nuclear energy. However, the parliament dismissed his argument, opting for an indefinite ban instead.
The ban has angered several companies, Times of Central Asia reports. Several uranium mining companies plan to file multi-million dollar lawsuits against the government of Kyrgyzstan. This includes the Kara-Balta Mining Plant, which had projected $70 million in profit. Several investors who signed prior agreements with Kyrgyzstani authorities and invested large sums into extraction and processing of uranium will not see a return on that investment. This situation presents an image of Kyrgyzstan that is not very attractive to future investors and may negatively impact future development projects.
The odds of a law like this passing in countries around Kyrgyzstan are low, says Professor Rustam Burnashev of Kazakh-German University. Public influence is much greater in Kyrgyzstan than in countries like Kazakhstan. Those who protested against uranium development can take comfort in knowing their voices were heard.