Niger’s military government has revoked the operational license of the French nuclear fuel company Orano at one of the world’s largest uranium mines, further straining its ties with France, the former colonial power.
Orano, a state-owned enterprise, announced on Thursday that it had been ordered to cease operations at the Imouraren mine in northern Niger, which holds approximately 200,000 tons of uranium, a key resource for nuclear energy and weaponry.
According to Al Jazeera correspondent Ahmed Idris in Abuja, Niger’s Ministry of Mining had warned Orano of the potential license revocation if the mine’s development did not commence by June 19.
Orano claimed in a statement on Thursday that it had recently resumed activities at the mine and reopened infrastructure to accommodate construction teams, asserting that its operations align with the current government’s directives, which assumed power following a coup in July last year.
Mining at Imouraren was initially slated to begin in 2015, but development was halted after global uranium prices plummeted following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011.
The decision to cancel Orano’s license may have broader geopolitical implications.
The relationship between Niger and its former colonial ruler has deteriorated since last year’s coup.
The Nigerien government expelled the French ambassador and subsequently saw the withdrawal of several hundred French troops and the closure of all French military bases in the country.
Niger’s government, now seeking to strengthen ties with Russia and Iran for support, has vowed to reassess foreign mining concessions following its rise to power.
Al Jazeera reported that the focus seems to be on targeting French companies, with Russian firms expressing interest in the Imouraren uranium site.
Orano has been operating in Niger since 1971 and had shut down the Arlit uranium mine in 2021, although it continues to manage another mine in the northern Arlit region despite what it describes as “logistical challenges.”
Niger, which produces about a quarter of the natural uranium supplied to Europe, faces export difficulties due to the closure of its borders with Benin, its primary maritime outlet, for “security reasons.”
Orano stated its willingness to keep all communication channels open with Nigerien authorities regarding this issue, while reserving the right to challenge the mining license revocation in national or international courts.
