Brazilian uranium output to decrease for the second straight year

Brazil’s state-owned Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB), the country’s single uranium miner, said it will produce less uranium for the second straight year. Manager Hilton Mantovani told newspaper “Valor Econômico” that INB will end 2011 with a forecast of 330 tonnes, or 20% less than previous expectations. Last year, the miner’s production fell nearly by the half, and now Brazil is importing uranium to meet demand from its power plants.

The executive blamed a 50-day inspection held by federal prosecutors as the main reason for the drop, as the plants were idled over the period. Besides, the inspection was followed by a 20-day workers’ strike. The state-owned miner also said it plans to double uranium output to supply to the Angra 3 mine, which is being built by Eletronuclear, and will invest US$ 26 million in a new mine in Caetité, in Bahia state.