Niger has revoked the operating license of French nuclear fuel producer Orano at one of the world's biggest uranium mines. This is a move that highlights tensions between France and the African country's ruling junta.
Orano announced it that has been excluded from the Imouraren mine in northern Niger. This mine sits on an estimated two hundred thousand tons of the uranium, used for nuclear power and weapons.
Mining was supposed to have started at Imouraren in 2015 but development was frozen after the collapse in world uranium prices caused by the 2011 Japanese nuclear disaster.
The Niger government did not immediately comment on the company's announcement. It had vowed to review mining concessions in the country. The mining ministry had warned that it would take away Orano's license if development work had not started by June 19.
A week before the deadline, Orano said that “preparatory work” had recently started at Imouraren.
The company said in a statement Thursday that “Orano takes note of the decision by the Niger authorities to withdraw from its subsidiary Imouraren SA its license to work the deposit.”
It added that the Niger’s move came despite its recent resumption of "activities" at the site. It said its actions had been fulfilled in line with the government's wishes.
Orano stated that it was “prepared to keep open all channels of communication with the Niger authorities on this subject, while reserving the right to contest the decision to withdraw the mining license in the national or international courts”.
Orano added that mine infrastructure had reopened from June 4 and dozens of people were involved “to make progress with the work”. It said Imouraren would eventually provide jobs for eight hundred people on the project, including subcontractors.
The French firm has been active in Niger since 1971. A uranium mine at Arkokan has been closed since 2021. However, Orano runs another uranium mine in the northern region of Arlit despite what it calls “logistical” difficulties.
Niger is landlocked. Its border with Benin, its main sea access, is closed. The government claims that this is for “security” reasons. The closure is an obstacle to exports of Niger's minerals.
Niger in 2022 accounted for about a quarter of the natural uranium supplied to European nuclear power plants. This is according to data from the atomic organization Euratom. Kazakhstan is Europe's main supplier, ahead of Niger and then Canada.
The military junta in Niger vowed to review foreign mining concessions in the country after it took power in July last year. The military rulers have also turned against France. They have ordered French troops based in the Niger to leave and increased criticism of the former colonial power. Niger has increasingly reached out to Russia and Iran for support.
Chinese, Australian, US, British, Italian, Canadian, Russian and Indian firms have secured uranium mining licenses in Niger in recent years. As of 2022 there were thirty one prospecting permits and eleven mining licenses.
The Azelik mining company is majority held by Chinese interests. It is increasingly taking over uranium mining in the north of Niger that have been suspended for the past decade because of poor profitability.