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Under Russian control Rocky Mountains uranium to Iran?

Four Republican lawmakers have sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner raising concerns that the deal could lead to U.S. uranium reaching Iran.

Russia seeks control of Canadian nuclear company working in U.S. TheSpec , 20 Oct 10, DENVER Russia’s government is trying to enter the U.S. nuclear industry, poised to spend $1.5 billion to acquire a controlling share of Uranium One, a Canadian company operating in the Rocky Mountain region…...U.S. Treasury and nuclear regulatory officials must approve the deal, and some Republican lawmakers have objected……

The deal would give Russian government-owned Atomredmetzoloto (ARMZ) a 51 per cent share of Uranium One.

Uranium One is starting an in-situ mining project next year in Wyoming.

ARMZ is the world’s fifth largest uranium producer, operating mines in Russia and Kazakhstan…..

U.S. Treasury and Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials are looking into the transaction.

A Russian-run company “cannot just take over facilities, take uranium out of the ground and ship it overseas,” said NRC spokesperson Dave McIntyre. “There are protections in place. What do they intend to do with it? We would need to approve any export of uranium once it is milled…..Four Republican lawmakers have sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner raising concerns that the deal could lead to U.S. uranium reaching Iran.

For years, Russia has supplied from 16 to 33 per cent of the uranium used at U.S. nuclear power plants under a program that converted uranium from Russian nuclear weapons…..

October 20, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, Uranium, USA | antinuclear, nuclear weapons, uranium