Rare Earth Exchanges

Orano Halted the Niger Uranium Operations Amid Financial Crisis

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Highlights

  • French uranium company Orano has suspended operations at the Arlit mine in Niger by October 2024 due to political and financial complications.
  • Niger’s government has revoked mining licenses and blocked uranium exports, causing significant disruptions in the country’s uranium production.
  • The crisis raises serious concerns about supply chain stability and foreign investment risks in the uranium mining sector.

By October 2024, French uranium giant Orano (opens in a new tab) has suspended operations at the Arlit (opens in a new tab) mine in Niger due to mounting financial strain, exacerbated by the country’s political instability. The suspension follows a 15-month debt default by Niger’s state-owned mining company SOPAMIN and the ongoing closure of the Niger-Benin border, which has blocked uranium exports since the July 2023 coup.

Despite Orano’s attempts to secure alternative export routes, Nigerien authorities have remained unresponsive. With no resolution in sight, the company is prioritizing salaries and facility maintenance over continued production.

The crisis extends beyond Arlit—Orano’s other Nigerien projects, COMINAK and Imouraren, have also hit roadblocks. The Nigerien government recently revoked Orano’s mining license for Imouraren and stripped Canadian firm GoviEx of its rights to the Madouela uranium deposit.

As Niger is a key global uranium supplier, these disruptions raise serious concerns over supply chain stability and foreign investment risks in the region. With no clear path forward, Orano’s future in Niger remains uncertain.

Orano is represented in Niger through its three subsidiaries, SOMAÏR, COMINAK, and IMOURAREN. SOMAÏR has been mining several uranium deposits in northwestern Niger since 1971. Active since 1978, the COMINAK deposits will cease all activity on March 31, 2021. The IMOURAREN site is one of the world’s largest deposits. This was a uranium mine, not rare earth elements.

The news surfaced via multiple sites, including World Nuclear News (opens in a new tab).

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