DUSHANBE, July 14, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Issues related to bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and France on exploration of and development of mineral deposits in Tajikistan were discussed here at a meeting of Murod Jumazoda, Chairman of the Main Geology Directorate under the Government of Tajikistan with France’s Ambassador to Tajikistan Didier Leroy.

An official source at the Main Geology Directorate notes that Jumazoda noted during the meeting that the Tajik Government had endorsed a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between Tajikistan’s Main Geology Directorate and France’s Areva Mines. 

Areva Mines showed interest in cooperation with the Tajik Main Geology Directorate in summer 2013.  The French company noted that time that it would like to carry out revision works and if it took interest in any object, it would apply to the Tajik government for appropriate licenses in accordance with established order.

In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, Murod Jumazoda noted on July 8 that Tajikistan is interested in exploration of its uranium and other rare-earth metal deposits.  According to him, the Tajik government pays a special attention to this subject and the national program for the study of rare-earth elements designed for 2015-2025 will be adopted soon.

“We are interested in cooperation with Areva Mines, which is France’s largest uranium mining producers,” Jumazoda said.  He noted that there were no uranium deposits in Tajikistan but there were uranium manifestations here that could become deposits after exploration operations and determination of their reserves.

Areva Mines is one of subsidiaries of Areva SA, which is a French public multinational industrial conglomerate headquartered in the Tour Areva in Courbevoie, Paris. Areva SA is mainly known for nuclear power, although it also pursues interests in other energy projects.  Its nuclear technology subsidiary, Areva NP, was created by absorbing the nuclear business line of German company Siemens; it has developed the EPR, an advanced 3rd generation pressurized water nuclear reactor.