What future for the Aïr mining company (Somaïr) which employs 750 people in the Arlit area and is 63% owned by Orano and 36% by the Nigerien state company Sopamin? Somaïr is currently experiencing financial difficulties, says Orano, which therefore decided to suspend production-related expenses at the end of October.
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There suspension of expenses related to extraction and processing activities of the ore is only temporary, tempers Orano, while waiting for the conditions to be met to export the production. Currently, more than 1,000 tonnes of uranium concentrate are blocked, according to the French group, which claims to give priority to maintaining salaries.
For Gilles Récoché, director of responsibility, commitment and communication at Orano Mining, the situation at Somaïr is worrying: “ For 16 months, Somaïr has been prevented from marketing its production due to the closure of the border with Benin, and today finds itself in a very degraded situation. Somaïr is heavily in debt. »
The provisional suspension decision was therefore voted on by the board of directors last week. The representatives of Sopamin left the room at the time of the vote, notes Orano. For their part, the Nigerien authorities contested this decision at the beginning of the monthbelieving that they had not been consulted. “ There is no dialogue, no answer to questions, we want to continue producing, to be present, because it’s a long story and we don’t want it to end like that. We invite the Nigerien party to return to the discussion table, and to understand that Somaïr’s financial situation does not allow it to continue operating in production. »
Since the arrival of the new authorities in power, Niger has shown its desire to reorganize its mining sector, with complete sovereignty. They are approaching new partners. The Minister of Mines indicated this November 2024 in Sochi that he had met with Russian companies interested in the exploration and exploitation of Niger’s natural resources.
We have been in uranium exploitation for 50 years which is not for the benefit of Niger. Today, there are authorities who have been put in place and who want this to benefit the people of Niger. The change on the Orano side did not want to take place in this direction.
Rhamar Ilatoufegh (Arlit civil society)
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