Iran has started the exploitation phase for what is believed to be the biggest uranium mine in the central province of Yazd.
The inauguration ceremony of the Narigan Mine, located around 35 km away from the city of Bafq, was held on February 5, in the presence of the head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami.
Eslami described it as the "biggest uranium–molybdenum mine" in the country, and said that "creating the capacity with the aim of expanding nuclear power production and application of radiation are among the major goals pursued by the AEOI as part of the comprehensive strategic plan for the nuclear industry".
"The uranium extracted from this mine will be sent to Isfahan for purification and for making [nuclear] fuel," Fars cited Eslami as saying.
He added that “the results of the estimation of the exploratory reserves indicate the existence of 650 tons of uranium metal and 4,600 tons of molybdenum metal in the category of definitive and probable reserves.”
Earlier IAEA reported that activities at Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility run counter to Tehran’s obligations. But Iran's nuclear agency dismissed this report.
