A market in Anoumakaram in the Dannet commune

Wedoany.com Report-Feb 26, A draft decree, approved by Niger’s Council of Ministers, has granted the Niger-owned Compagnie Minière de Recherche et d’Exploitation (COMIREX SA) a permit to operate the Moradi uranium mine. The decision was made during a meeting on February 22, chaired by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who has been the country’s leader since a coup in 2023. The decree, enacted on behalf of the Department of Mines, also converts an existing “semi-mechanised” permit into one for small-scale mining. A similar permit was issued to the Compagnie Minière de l’Aïr for a copper mine.

The Moradi mine is located in the Dannet rural commune, within the Arlit department of the Agadez Region. A 2023 environmental impact study by COMIREX indicates that the site falls within the former AFASTO Exploitation and Research Permit, public since 2015. Drawing on earlier research by France’s CEA and Areva (now Orano), the study describes the deposit as “very shallow,” approximately 10 meters deep, with an estimated 2,000 tonnes of uranium at a 300 ppm cut-off. Open-pit mining is planned. Initially, COMIREX proposed processing the ore at SOMAÏR’s facilities under an agreement with Orano, though the current arrangement remains unclear. Orano, which holds a 63.4% stake in SOMAÏR alongside Niger’s SOPAMIN with 36.6%, reported in December that it no longer controls operations at the Arlit mine.

The Council of Ministers stated: “The companies holding these permits are companies under Nigerien law owned by nationals and in which the State has a level of participation in the share capital of around 25% for the Compagnie Minière de l’Aïr (COMINAIR SA) and 40% for the Compagnie Minière de Recherche et d’Exploitation (COMIREX SA).” This was announced through the state-owned Office National d’Edition et de Presse.

Under the agreement, the Moradi project is projected to yield an average of 300 tonnes of uranium annually over five years. It is expected to generate 94 jobs for young Nigeriens, along with a mining royalty exceeding XOF3.634 billion (approximately USD5.8 million) from uranium sales and a surface royalty of XOF114 million over the project’s duration. Niger uses the CFA Franc, denoted by the ISO code XOF.

The permits require COMIREX and COMINAIR to fund ongoing training for Mines Ministry staff, support local infrastructure, and ensure environmental protection and sustainable management. The Council emphasized: “These two draft decrees thus reinforce the desire … to exercise our full sovereignty over our natural resources for the benefit of our populations.” The measures aim to enhance national control and economic benefits from Niger’s mineral wealth.