Uranium is being explored on the pretext of searching for gold and associated minerals by a Russian company, which arrived in Burma's northern Kachin State, last year, said local sources.

Russian mineral experts working for the company Victorious Glory International Private Ltd. based in Hpakant (Phakant) jade mining areas are exploring mainly Uranium, according to ethnic Kachin residents of Hpakant jade mining city.

Local eyewitnesses told KNG recently, they have seen strange-faced Russian people in Hpakant jade mining city since last year.

The Russian company is stationed in areas around Tarmakhan and Hongpa mountains where Uranium was explored during Burma's first elected Prime Minister U Nu's tenure from1948 to 1962, said a Kachin geologist in Hpakant.

On February 15, last year, Burmese ruling junta's Director-General U Win Ti of the Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration Department and Chairman Krivoshey Pavel of Victorious Glory International Private Ltd signed an agreement in the new jungle capital Naypyitaw for the exploration of such minerals along Uru River or Uru Hka between Hpakant in Kachin State and Homalin in Sagaing Division, according to the state-run "New Light of Myanmar".

The Russian geologists arrived in Hpakant one year before the agreement and a Russian geologist died of Malaria in Hpakant public hospital in early 2007, said sources in the hospital.

Jade miners in Hpakant said Chinese jade companies have been permitted to mine jade along Uru River for a long time. Here precious water-jade is produced.

The fact that the Russian company agreed to explore for gold and associated minerals in Uru River with the junta is a load of nonsense because all the companies in Hpakant jade mining areas are only mining jade, according to local jade miners.

At the moment, no one except workers of the Russian company is allowed to visit the Russian base in the mountains and disturb Russian mineral explorers by Burmese army soldiers who stand guard, residents of Hpakant said.