Niger Takes Over Mammoth Uranium Mine From French Firm

Niger has taken over a mammoth uranium mine that was hitherto operated by France's state owned nuclear fuels firm Orano through its subsidiary called Somair. That was reported by various media on December 4, 2024.

Operations at the open-pit mine said to be one of the largest in the world, were stopped in June 2024 after the new military government in Niger nationalized the mine and repealed Orano's mining permit.

Orano is said to have been operating the mine since the 1970s, generating uranium that was shipped to France to produce nuclear fuels for nuclear electricity plants. While Niger provided the vital critical input for France's electricity supply, itself got nothing in that respect, relying mainly on neighboring Nigeria for its electricity supply.

Immediately after assuming power in July 2023, the military government in Niger observed that the country was not receiving reasonable amount of revenues from extracted mineral resources. It then vowed to make a considerable reform of the country's mining sector to ensure an increase in revenues from mines, especially those operated by foreign firms.

The takeover of the Orano operated uranium mine by the government of Niger is therefore not surprising. According to the reports, the government is now looking for other investors, probably from Russia or Türkiye, that will make the mine operational again under new terms emanating from the mentioned reform of the mining sector.

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