Tanzania has officially launched a $1.2 billion uranium extraction initiative in partnership with Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom, marking one of the most ambitious mining projects in the country’s history.
The venture aims to harness the country’s vast uranium reserves as a driver for economic growth, industrial development, and future clean energy prospects.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan presided over the inauguration of a $400 million uranium processing plant at the Mkuju River Project site on Wednesday, signalling the operational start of a broader 20-year plan to extract and process an estimated 300,000 tonnes of uranium.
“This project reflects Tanzania’s commitment to responsibly tap into its natural resources to support sustainable development,” President Hassan said during the launch.
Speaking, the Director General of the Rosatom State Corporation, Alexey Likhachev said the firm was offering its advanced uranium processing technologies to develop Tanzania’s unique geological potential.
“As with all our partners, we intend to build cooperation with the republic on the basis of equality and mutual understanding.”
“At the same time, in its activities, Rosatom is always guided by the principles of sustainable development with unconditional compliance with high environmental and social standards. We will be happy to help Tanzania take an important step towards integration into the global nuclear energy industry,” he added.
The plant, situated in the southern region of Namtumbo, is the first of its kind in Tanzania and a key component of the government’s strategy to diversify mineral exports and capitalise on the rising global demand for low-carbon energy sources.
