Shillong, March 5: The Regional Centre for Exploration and Research, a division of the Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD) under the department of atomic energy, has claimed to have discovered huge uranium reserves in the Wahkyn area of Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills district.

According to AMD regional director R. Mohanty, the quantity of uranium was probably less than the quantity of ore deposits in Domiasiat. However, the quality of the mineral is expected to be on a par with the Domiasiat deposits.

Sometime before 1991, the AMD discovered uranium in and around Domiasiat. The survey reportedly indicated nearly 10,000 tonnes of uranium deposits in that area.

The Domiasiat deposit is said to be the largest, richest, near-surface and low-cost sandstone-type uranium deposit discovered in the country so far. The ore is spread over a 10 square km area in deposits varying from eight to 47 metres from the surface.

“This area has the most potential for uranium and we are getting positive results.” Mohanty declared.

Wahkyn is located nearly 10 km southwest of Domiasiat, where the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) is all set to explore the radioactive mineral. The new uranium mineral deposits are said to be spread over a large area on both banks of the Wahblei river. A number of other promising blocks around Wahkyn, such as Wahkut, Waiting and Lostoin, are also available for exploration.

The samples of the minerals are being sent to sophisticated laboratories in the AMD headquarters at Hyderabad. A detailed report will be submitted to the department of atomic energy once the Shillong division receives lab reports. However, there has been no breakthrough yet in a similar exercise to find uranium at Anek in West Garo Hills, sources said.

Once the AMD confirms the presence of uranium deposits, UCIL will take over the place for exploration.

But this might be easier said than done. The exploration process undertaken by UCIL in Domiasiat ran into rough weather as many NGOs and political parties of the state objected to the proposed mining, arguing that the process of mining uranium would cause radiation.