Kazakhstan: five Kazakh NGOs visit the Katco site

On January 11, 2011, the representatives of five Kazakh environmentalist NGOs visited the Tortkuduk mine site.

The visit, termed "ecological tour", was organized jointly by Kazatomprom and KATCO within the framework of promoting Kazakhstan’s uranium industry. The visitors represented the Kazakhstan Nuclear Society and the ecological associations TABIGAT, IRIS, ECO FORUM and CAREC (Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia).

The delegation visited the Tortkuduk base camp, one of the well fields and the processing plant. All the participants were impressed by the mine site installations and expressed their satisfaction with regard to the measures deployed by KATCO in terms of safety, health and sustainable development. They also praised the high professionalism and openness of the teams that received them during their visit.

"We were glad to provide a comprehensive support to environmental activists in their aspiration to view a strategic mining area of the country," says Guy Breton, Head of site. "And were excited to get a very positive experience from having fruitful and constructive discussions on social and environmental issues."