Prime Minister bans geological exploration and mining of uranium before legal response

AKIPRESS.COM - Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Muhamedkaliy Abilgaziyev signed order banning geological exploration and mining of uranium on the licensed deposits before the legal response.
The ban does not apply to the reclamation of uranium tailings and dumps, the statement said.
On 27 March 2019, Kara-Balta Mining Plant and Economy Polimers Ru LLC signed a cooperation agreement worth $30 million during the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Kyrgyzstan. The money will be used to modernize the existing plant and develop uranium deposits in Issyk-Kul. Kara-Balta Mining Plant will process the uranium ore from Kyzyl-Ompol site. The uranium tailings will be buried in the decommissioned tailing storage near the village of Marmara, Sokuluk district, according to the agreement.
Locals protested against the development of uranium since December last year and several big protests took place in Bishkek and Issyk-Kul region in April 2019 pushing the authorities to ban any uranium mining and exploration activities.