Interfax cited Mr Mukhtar Dzhakishev chief of national nuclear corporation Kazatomprom as saying that Kazakhstan's government is not thinking of imposing an export duty on uranium.

He said that "It is impossible to levy export duty on uranium. If a customs duty is imposed, there is no need to develop anything here. We would rather trade in the most rudimentary product to pay the minimal export duty rate."

Mr Mukhtar said "If I produce something that is 30 times more expensive, I will be haying 30 times more export duty. What's the point? I would better sticking to a low value product. The government is well aware of that too. Nobody is suggesting customs duty on uranium. The issue has not been raised."

Kazakhstan has been planning to introduce export duty on the key export commodities including metals, grain and oil etc. A ban on grain exports was introduced and export duty imposed on oil, however a final decision regarding metals duty has not yet been reached