Brazil owns the seventh largest geological reserve of uranium in the world. It lags behind Australia, Kazakhstan, Canada, Russia, South Africa and Nigeria.

In Brazil, the Minister of Mines and Energy Bento Albuquerque, said this Monday, October 7, that the Government intends to resume uranium mining in national territory to expand the Brazilian nuclear program, which also includes the conclusion of works in Angra 3 – also through the participation of the private sector. Four foreign groups compete for Angra 3 Plant and modeling will serve for eight new plants.

The federal government's idea is to resume activities at the Engenho mine, in Caetité (BA), by the end of 2019. Brazil owns the 7th largest geological reserve of uranium in the world and mining is done mainly in Caetité (BA)

O product it is raw material for the fuel used in nuclear power plants. Currently, exploration will be carried out solely by the state-owned INB (Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil), but the government is studying alternatives.

According to the Constitution, uranium mining is a monopoly of the Union, and, therefore, the private sector would only operate in mines where the presence of the element is a minority - as in the case of Santa Quitéria, in Ceará, where there is 90% of phosphate and 10% uranium.]

Thus, exploration would still be carried out by the state-owned Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB), but with the presence of private agents.

For the minister, however, it is possible to move forward. He defends breaking the Union's monopoly on uranium exploration and even the exploitation of nuclear power plants by the private sector.

For this, however, it would be necessary to approve a Proposal for an Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) in Congress – with the support of three-fifths of deputies and senators, in two rounds of voting in each legislative house.

“Security exists. We have operated nuclear power plants for over 40 years. There is no problem with the private sector. What is the difference between the private sector and the state sector? None, as long as there are conditions to control and supervise. This discussion is a thing of the past and, if it goes to Congress today, there won't be that kind of resistance. This is my personal opinion, also because of the interaction I have with Congress and several parliamentarians, ”he said.

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