Calcined and natural yellowcake (Orano/Eric Larrayadieu)
"This move comes after several months of unsuccessful attempts at mediation and conciliation," the company said.
The Imouraren project is about 80km south of Arlit and about 160km north of Agadez and, with mineral reserves of over 200,000 tU, is one of the largest known uranium reserves in the world. Operating company Imouraren SA - owned 66.65% by Orano Expansion and 33.35% by Niger state interests - was awarded an operating permit to mine the deposit in 2009, but development work was suspended in 2015 due to market conditions at the time.
Earlier this year, the company announced it had restarted preparatory work for the project, but within days the Nigerien authorities withdrew the Orano subsidiary's operating permit.
"The announcement of the withdrawal of the licence took place when Orano presented the State of Niger with a concrete, technical proposal, which would have allowed the IMOURAREN deposit to be exploited as quickly as possible, and after works had resumed since June 2024," Orano said today. It has engaged law firm Clay Arbitration as its representative.
In July, the Nigerien authorities also withdrew Canadian company GoviEx Uranium's mining rights for the Madouela uranium project. Earlier this month, the company and its fully owned subsidiary GoviEx Niger Holdings Ltd started proceedings against Niger under the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes Between States and Nationals of Other States, on the basis the state had breached its legal obligations in withdrawing the permit.
