WNN reports that a team from the IAEA Coordination Group for Uranium Legacy Sites (CGULS) spent just under two weeks visiting legacy sites, including exposed tailings bodies and remnants of uranium mills and other infrastructure, at Map 1-9, Degmay and Tashobar. The visit was supported by the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Agency of the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, the country nuclear regulator, and site operator State Enterprise Tajredmet.
Tajikistan is implementing a work program to place an interim cover on open uranium tailings facilities in Degmay, to reduce dust hazards to the surrounding communities and the environment. The CGULS team is now preparing independent indicative cost estimates that will help the country plan for such remediation work.
Central Asia was an important uranium-producing region in the former Soviet Union, leading to a large accumulation of radioactive contaminated material at mines in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and in waste dumps and tailing sites. Uranium mining ceased in Tajikistan in 1992, and most of the other countries mines had closed by 1995, but very little remediation of mines or tailings facilities was carried out.
The government of Tajikistan in 2014 resolved to rehabilitate legacy tailings by 2024.
In 2015, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) at the request of the European Commission set up the Environmental Remediation Account for Central Asia to finance the remediation of sites in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan identified as high priority. The European Commission provided an initial €8 million ($9 million) in funding. Earlier this year, the bank signed framework agreements with the Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, a precondition for the implementation of projects under the fund.
Resource Portal for I2M Clients, Associates, and Geoscientists
Managed & Built by I2M Consulting, LLC | © 2010-
Managed & Built by I2M Consulting, LLC | © 2010-