Author 1:
Name & Surname: Svyatetsky V. S.
Company: ARMZ Uranium Holding Co.—Atomredmetzoloto JSC (Moscow, Russia)
Work Position: Vice General Director—CEO
Contacts: info@armz.ru

Author 2:
Name & Surname: Solodov I. N.
Company: ARMZ Uranium Holding Co.—Atomredmetzoloto JSC (Moscow, Russia)
Work Position: Director for Innovative Development

The article gives a review of technological innovations enabling dramatic increase in uranium mining efficiency and simultaneous reduction in weighted average consolidated cost of final output for all three companies within the Atomredmetzoloto Uranium Holding—Priargunsky Mining and Chemical Works, Dalur and Khiagda. It is planned to enhance uranium mining efficiency in Russia by means of:
- reduction in nonprofitable uranium mining at Priargunsky Mining and Chemical Works (poor reserves) with concurrent restructuring of the company and considerable cut of the production and infrastructure expenditures;
- well-balanced build-up of cost-effective uranium mining by Dalur and Khiagda companies with keeping the long-term sustainability of the current production level An integrated program on cost-saving and break-even for Priargunsky Mining and Chemical Works has been elaborated and is under implementation.
The manufacturing and technological capabilities for such a shoot forward are available: a vitriol plant and mine no. 8 are placed in commission; equipment repair program is actualized; high-speed driving and new methods of uranium processing are put to use. A key area of activity is transition to new technologies: cost-effective heap leaching and underground block leaching allows ore processing at lower cost as against the cost-consuming hydrometallurgical process currently in application. Alongside with that, promising mine projects are being optimized (mines nos. 6 and 7) and uraniumrich deposits are being explored in the framework of Kaldera project.

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