Maravi

Govt seeks regulations on uranium mining

Govt seeks regulations on uranium mining
By Nomusa Michelo
Friday December 21, 2007 [03:00]

Government is currently consulting the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in order to come up with regulations on uranium mining, mines minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa has said. In an interview, Dr Mwansa said the Ministry of Justice was currently liaising with the UN agency so that the country’s laws are in conformity with international regulations.

“Uranium being a sensitive item, we needed to consult both internally and externally. So where we are now is that, we have finished the draft set of regulations which will guide production, storage, transportation and sale of uranium,” he said.

“The Minister of Justice is now liaising with the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency.”

Dr Mwansa said as soon as consultations were concluded, the government would publish regulations on the mining, transportation and sale of uranium.

“Once the consultations are finished, then we’ll publish the statutory instrument as part of the law and then we’ll begin the processes of receiving applications and processing them for uranium production,” said Dr Mwansa.

Uranium had been discovered in parts of the country and Dr Mwansa said licences would be awarded to companies for exploration of uranium as soon as laws were in place.

Labels: REGULATION, URANIUM

posted by MrK @ 3:43 AM