Work is expected to start this year on remedial work at two uranium legacy sites in the Kyrgyz Republic, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced yesterday. The work is part of a wider plan to deal with the legacy of Soviet-era uranium mining and processing in Central Asia.

The Australian Federal Department of Environment and Energy has granted environmental approval for Cameco Australia's Yeelirrie uranium project in Western Australia. Any decision to advance the project will depend on market conditions, the company said.

The US Department of Commerce on 15 April submitted to the White House the results of an investigation into the effects of uranium imports on US national security. US President Donald Trump now has up to 90 days to decide whether to act on the DOC's findings and recommendations, which have not been made public.

A prefeasibility study for Fission Uranium Corp's Patterson Lake South uranium property includes the first announcement of mineral reserves for the site in Canada's Athabasca Basin.

Yellow Cake plc is to purchase 1.175 million pounds of uranium (45 tU) from KazAtomProm under an existing framework agreement after raising GBP25.9 million (USD33.9 million) through a share placement.

The government of Niger and GoviEx have agreed on a framework to develop jointly GoviEx's Madaouela uranium project that will see the government purchase a second 10% share.

Energy Fuels has refurbished two of its Utah mines ready to enter full commercial production should a production decision be made. The economics of the Pandora and La Sal uranium/vanadium mines are expected to be supported by uranium sales contracts because of the volatility of the vanadium market, the company said.

Paladin Energy Limited has announced a pre-feasibility study for the restart of the Langer Heinrich uranium mine in Namibia after identifying options to reduce operating costs and maintain cost competitiveness.

Boss Resources has announced a 30% increase in mineral resources in the area designated to provide the feed material for the future re-start of its Honeymoon in-situ leach uranium project in South Australia.

Uranium One will focus on ensuring that all of its operating uranium mines in Kazakhstan remain at "optimal production" over the next year, it says in its latest quarterly report. Its total attributable production for 2018 was 4383 tU.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking public comment on its environmental review of proposed cleanup work at the former Northeast Church Rock uranium mine in New Mexico. The proposal would allow mine owner United Nuclear Corporation to transfer contaminated soil from the mine for disposal at the former Church Rock uranium mill.

The uranium market started to show recovery in 2018 but prices and the long-term contracting market are still not sufficient to restart idled production capacity, Cameco CEO Tim Gitzel said yesterday.