Press Release
The Government Digging Mines in the Biosphere Area is an Injustice to the Ummah!
(Translated)

President Sadyr Japarov amended laws on “underground natural resources” and “biosphere areas” in which geological research and research work in biosphere areas, geological exploration of earth resources, extraction of useful deposits and geological exploration work for subterranean resources will be carried out on the basis of the government's decision.

Experts say that the government in Kyrgyzstan is trying to extract uranium from the Kyzyl Ompol mine through this law, again. In 2019, the research, exploration and development of uranium and thorium deposits was banned due to public protests. According to the current version of the law, the Issyk-Kul region is a specially protected natural area of national importance.

Before that, the issue of developing the mine became a hot discussion in society, after Japarov's meeting with local residents at the Kyzyl Ompol mine in the Issyk-Kul region.

The Kyzyl Ompol mine was opened in the Tonj region in 1951. There are five main areas with underground resources in the region, the main part of which is located in the Tosh Bulak region. During research conducted during the Soviet Union era, it was found that it contained 13 thousand tons of uranium. Here, only 3,080 tons of uranium were discovered from the above-mentioned figure. In 2019, Eurasia Corporation began exploration in this area. However, it turns out that there are 3,519 tons of uranium reserves in the Tosh Bulak region itself as a result of new research. Uranium and its compounds are mainly used as reactor fuel in nuclear power plants and as explosives in nuclear weapons and bombs. The price of a kilogram of it 5-10 years ago reached $300, while its price now is about $100. As the war escalates in Ukraine and many other regions, the price of uranium is rising.

The estimated reserve of thorium in Kyzyl Ompol is 29,252 tons. 6,880 tons of which are currently mineable reserves. 3,390 tons of it are located in the Tosh Bulak region. According to other data, Tosh Bulak itself has reserves of 8,499 tons. Thorium is a radioactive substance, like uranium. It is considered the future of nuclear energy because of its high energy capacity. More precisely, one ton of this material releases energy equivalent to two hundred tons of uranium or three million tons of coal. The price of one kilogram of it is currently about $100. In addition to nuclear energy, it is used in the mining industry, aircraft construction, and generator production. It is also used as fuel for spacecraft and submarines, along with uranium.

Zirconium or zirconium oxide (oxide) was estimated at 287,636 tons in Kyzyl Ompol. 94 thousand and 441 tons, including recoverable reserves. There are 34 thousand tons of it in Tosh Bulak. Zirconium is also often used in nuclear energy to enrich uranium and other radioactive materials. It is widely used in construction, medicine and mining. Zirconium is also less radioactive than uranium and thorium, but it is toxic. The price of a kilogram of zirconium ranges from $100 to $500-600, depending on its type.

There are half a million tons of phosphorus oxide in Kyzyl Ompol. 124,645 tons, including real reserves. There are only 10,000 tons in the Tosh Bulak area. Phosphorus is mainly used to fertilize mineral fertilizers. Phosphorus is not toxic, but if it is enriched with uranium, it becomes radioactive. Its price varies according to the material it is made from.

The amount of titanium and magnetite found in this area amounts to 14 million tons. Only 2.6 million tons are recoverable reserves. There are 1.6 million tons of it in the Tosh Bulak region. Titanium is used in the production of automobiles, ships, aircraft, missiles, chemical construction, structural materials, alloys, paint extraction, wireless electronics and other fields. The price of a kilogram of titanium ranges between 5-6 to 20 dollars, depending on its purity.

Considering the mineral resource percentages mentioned above, 95% of the ore is titanium and magnetite, 3% phosphorus, 2% zirconium, 0.22% thorium, and 0.17% uranium.

Therefore, it is clear that the mine reserves in Kyzyl Ompol from which a real profit is little. In other words, Prime Minister Akilbek Japarov's claims of underground resources worth up to $300 billion contradict reality. It is clear that mining in some deep mines does not justify its cost.

It is known that the disputes over Kyzyl Ompol intensified in 2019. That year, a Russian delegation headed by Russian President Putin arrived in Kyrgyzstan on a state visit, and during the visit, many public and secret agreements were signed. As a result, all underground resources were provided economically to Russia, and if there were more, they could be given to others. For example, although Kyrgyzstan's Eurasia Corporation, which explored the Kyzyl Ompol mine, was registered in Canada, 60% of its shares belonged to Russia, and 40% to Kyrgyzstan. Therefore, American politicians in Kyrgyzstan, under the name of "civil activists", were active in arousing people's dissatisfaction with the Eurasia project. As a result, Jeenbekov's government failed to fulfill its promises to Russia, and Jeenbekov was forced to announce a moratorium on uranium mining in Kyrgyzstan, due to public opposition.

Now, Japarov's government has started operating this mine. Its benefits are taken into account, despite the presence of substances hazardous to the health of residents in Kyzyl Ompol. According to Japarov, this mine also contains a number of precious metals, like the Kumtor mine. In fact, regardless of the source of mineral wealth, it does not have the same composition. For example, the Kumtor mine contains not only gold, but also many elements such as silver, copper and sulfur. However, the reports issued about the Kumtor mine included calculations of profits from gold only, for a period of 30 years.

Unfortunately, the current government is determined to continue the crimes of its predecessors, for its own benefit, even though the operation of uranium and thorium mines is harmful to the people. Uranium mining is a real problem for the people, because this aforementioned mine is located at an altitude of 1640-3000 meters above sea level. Once uranium is extracted from underground, the risk of radiation exposure increases, and the remains come out during the uranium enrichment process, and the radiation risk continues for several thousand years. Its damage is spread by water and wind. The stream water merges into the mine and joins the Chuy water. Since the lake area is windy, the wind always blows from the mine towards Balıkchi. It is also dangerous to transport the extracted raw materials to the processing plant. If containers loaded with uranium are involved in an accident, they will try to deceive people that this accident is not harmful to people's health, but the people will still suffer from its damage. We witnessed such a phenomenon in the Barskoon cyanide accident.

In fact, uranium, like everything else, is a favour from Allah for the benefit of humanity. If we do not use it as Allah commanded us, it will become a disaster for humanity, not a blessing. Now, in the capitalist system, the mining of this uranium mine is considered an economic problem and given to imperialist private companies, and its harm to people is not taken into consideration. Their claim that “we are excavating without harm” is nothing but a lie, because if they see something that is beneficial to them, they do not think about anything else. Islam does not consider it an economic problem, but rather a humanitarian problem. Therefore, uranium mining is only allowed when it is not harmful to people. It depends on people's faith (Iman) and piety (taqwa) to do this.

In addition, according to Sharia law, uranium is considered public property whose benefit should reach every individual in the state. Only the Islamic State will exploit it for the benefit of the public, whether by using it as fuel for a nuclear power plant and providing the generated energy to people for free, or producing nuclear weapons to increase the prestige of the Islamic State, but it does not exist now. Giving uranium to infidel (kufr) countries and their companies is forbidden in all circumstances.

In conclusion, today's capitalist system is a utility-based system, so the harm caused to people when extracting minerals is not taken into account. Their claim that they can mine in harmless ways is nothing but a lie. This has been clearly seen by the melting of the glaciers in Kumtor and the leaching of cyanide into the water. Politicians should not use this problem as a weapon in their struggle for power. Helping them in this work is also a sin. Therefore, the people must hold the government accountable on the uranium issue, in accordance with Sharia law.

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Kyrgyzstan