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11/20/2005:

"Zimbabwe to Process Newly Found Uranium"

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) -- President Robert Mugabe has said Zimbabwe will process recently discovered uranium deposits in order to resolve its chronic electrical power shortage, state radio said Sunday.

Mugabe, who has close ties with two countries with controversial nuclear programs, Iran and North Korea, made the announcement Saturday, the radio station reported.

It was not clear how Mugabe intended to use any uranium deposits since the country does not have a nuclear power plant.

The president announced plans in the 1990s to acquire a reactor from Argentina, but nothing else was ever heard about the proposal.

''Zimbabwe will develop power by processing uranium, which has recently been found in the country,'' the radio quoted Mugabe as saying.

''The discovery of uranium will go a long way in further enhancing the government rural electrification program,'' he was quoted as saying.

Zimbabwe was not previously known to have any workable deposits of uranium.
nytimes.com