哈萨克斯坦昨天表示，它已超过加拿大和澳大利亚，成为全球最大的铀生产国。目前铀矿资源丰富的国家都在提高产量，以求获利于核电工业复苏产生的需求。
　　Kazakhstan said yesterday it had overtaken Canada and Australia to become the world's biggest uranium miner as nations rich in the resource ramp up production to sell into a resurgent nuclear power industry.
　　这一声明发布之前一天，有报道称哈萨克斯坦即将敲定一笔价值4.5亿美元的交易，要向伊朗出售1350吨的铀。向伊朗出口有“黄饼”之称的提纯铀，将违反联合国因伊朗拒绝冻结铀浓缩计划而实施的制裁规定。
　　The announcement came the day after allegations that Kazakhstan was close to clinching a $450m deal to sell 1,350 tons of uranium to Iran. Exports to Iran of purified uranium known as “yellowcake” would breach United Nations sanctions imposed on Tehran for refusing to freeze its uranium enrichment programme.
　　上述报道迅速被伊朗否认，但还是引起了华盛顿的警觉。美国国务院表示，“全面实施现有的（联合国）制裁规定，是国际社会努力通过外交手段阻止伊朗拥有核武能力的一个关键方面”。
　　The report, which was immediately rejected by Iran, raised alarm bells in Washington, where the State Department said “full implementation of existing [UN] sanctions is a vital aspect of the international community's efforts to prevent Iran's acquisition of a nuclear weapons capability through diplomacy”.
　　哈萨克斯坦外交部抨击了上述报道，称之为“毫无根据的含沙射影，破坏了我国的声誉”。作为前苏联加盟共和国之一，哈萨克斯坦在1991年独立后，放弃了前苏联的核武器，赢得了西方的称赞。目前该国正打造活跃的铀出口业务，已与俄罗斯、日本、中国和印度签署供应协议。
　　Kazakhstan's foreign ministry blasted the report as “a groundless insinuation damaging the reputation of our country”. The former Soviet republic, which won western plaudits for giving up Soviet-era nuclear weapons after becoming independent in 1991, is building a thriving uranium export business and has agreed supply deals with Russia, Japan, China and India.
　　然而，与伊朗交易的指控出现在一个特别尴尬的时刻。哈萨克斯坦国有核能公司Kazatomprom前总裁穆赫塔尔·德扎克舍夫(Mukhtar Dzhakishev)将于下周接受法院的不公开审理。他在今年5月被捕，被控盗窃国有铀矿资产。
　　However, the allegations of a deal with Iran come at a particularly awkward time. Mukhtar Dzhakishev, former president of Kazatomprom, the state atomic power company, goes on trial in a closed court next week following his arrest in May on charges of stealing state uranium assets.
　　Kazatomprom公司说，2009年，哈萨克斯坦铀产量增长了63%，达到至少1.39万吨，约占世界总产量的三分之一。
　　Kazatomprom said uranium production had increased by 63 per cent to reach at least 13,900 tons – about one-third of world output – in 2009.
　　该公司表示，哈萨克斯坦的铀产量将在明年增加到1.8万吨。
　　It said Kazakhstan's uranium output would rise to 18,000 tons next year.
　　世界核协会(World Nuclear Association)预测，随着核电厂的大量建成，特别是在中国，未来几年全球铀需求将增加50%。
　　The World Nuclear Association forecasts uranium demand will increase by 50 per cent in the coming years as large numbers of nuclear power plants are built, especially in China.