SHYMKENT. April 28. KAZINFORM /Tatyana Pylaeva/The opening ceremony of a new mine of underground leaching with a production capacity of 750 tons of uranium a year has taken place in Shieliy district of Kyzylorda region, Kazinform refers to the PR Department of Kazatomprom JSC. This is the first mine, put into operation within the framework of the Kazakh - Chinese cooperation in the field of atomic energy. The operator of the mine is Semizbay-U LLP, JV. The project is implemented within the framework of an agreement, signed in Astana in October 2008, on strategic partnership between Kazatomprom JSC and China Guangdong Nuclear Power Corporation. Chairman of the Committee on Atomic Energy of the Kazakh Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources T. Zhantikin, President of JSC Kazatomprom M. Dzhakishev, top management of LLP Semizbay-U, representatives of local executive authorities attended the opening ceremony. The Chinese delegation included Deputy Chairman of State Committee of the PRC on the development and reform, the head of Chinese National Energy Administration Zhang Goba and other dignitaries. The capacity of the mine is expected to be 180 tons of uranium in 2010. 500 tons of natural uranium is planned to produce this year. Extraction of uranium by subterranean subsurface leaching will last for 25 years. The uranium production is linked to the existing mine Karamurun with direct access to major rail, road, energy communications of Shieliy district. The opening of the mine helps create 460 new jobs. Local workers will be trained and involved in employment.