In a boost to the flagging domestic uranium mining effort, ONGC has zeroed in on a location in Assam and has submitted a proposal to Uranium Corporation of India Ltd for jointly exploring the resource.

The public sector oil major has an agreement in place with UCIL to pursue exploration and exploitation of uranium resources.

Mr RS Sharma CMD of ONGC told Business Line that “We have held several discussions with the scientists of UCIL and Atomic Mineral Division, a unit of the DAE. Based on the available data, literature and the discussions, we have decided to go for a field test. We have identified a prospective location at upper Assam. A proposal of field test has been submitted to UCIL.”

Mr Sharma said that once UCIL has examined the data, the two will work out the next course of action. ONGC has created a team under the aegis of its Energy Centre which is looking into the venture.

A DAE official said that the two ONGC and UCIL have already set up a steering committee for evolving a time-bound program for joint prospecting and mining.

(Sourced from Business Line)