Atomic Energy Organization Responds to Conservative Newspaper Report: 'Unrealistic'

On Tuesday, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran responded to a critical report by the conservative newspaper Vatan-e-Emruz regarding the value of uranium ore, including the Saghand mine, deeming it unrealistic. In a statement released on Tuesday, April 16, it was mentioned that each kilogram of uranium ore is priced at 'about four cents' (four percent of a dollar), not 200 to 250 dollars. The Vatan-e-Emruz newspaper, which is part of the conservative press in the Islamic Republic, in its April 16 issue, referred to the 'delay in the activities of the Saghand mine,' stating that this mine 'has an annual extraction capacity of 120,000 tons of uranium ore' and that each kilogram of uranium ore is sold in international markets 'between 200 to 250 dollars.' The report noted that although the Saghand mine has received an 'official peaceful label' from the International Atomic Energy Agency, it is currently 'on the verge of closure,' which raised eyebrows. Vatan-e-Emruz questioned the reasons behind the delay in the activities of this significant mine. However, according to the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran stated in its response that 'the activities of this mine are still ongoing based on the planned programs' and 'naturally, the amount of uranium ore extraction should be periodically adjusted according to the processing plant's capacity.' The organization also pointed out that based on the figures provided in the Vatan-e-Emruz newspaper, the annual value of uranium ore from the Saghand mine is estimated to be 'between 24 to 30 billion dollars,' which it deemed 'almost equivalent to the total value of Iran's oil exports in 2015' and unrealistic. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran added that 'the price of processed yellowcake in international markets is about 80 dollars per kilogram. Therefore, to produce one kilogram of processed yellowcake from a mine like the one claimed, 2,000 kilograms of raw ore must be processed.' The organization announced that based on this, the value of each kilogram of raw ore should be 'about four cents' and emphasized that the figure provided by Vatan-e-Emruz in this regard is 'between five thousand to six thousand times the actual price.' The Saghand uranium mine is located about 200 kilometers northeast of Yazd. Under the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, the Islamic Republic agreed to significantly reduce the scope and dimensions of its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting or easing of international sanctions.