Somaïr, a subsidiary of Orano in Niger whose exports have stopped, is in “great financial difficulty” and forced to sell uranium stocks initially intended to finance the subsequent closure of the site, we learned on Tuesday, July 9, from the French group. “We have reached a point where Somaïr is in very serious financial difficulty, particularly due to the difficulties in being able to market uranium.”Orano told AFP, recalling that its subsidiary has been unable to export for a year due to the local political situation.
“We are obliged to devote all our efforts to maintaining the industrial tool and paying salaries, and we do this by conservatively selling stocks (…) that we have saved, and which are initially intended to finance the site’s redevelopment plan at the end of its operating period.”Orano said.
Somaïr, located in the Arlit region (north), is the only uranium mine operated by Orano in Niger, after the closure of Cominak in 2021. It resumed its activities in February, after an interruption of several months following the coup d’état of July 2023.
Orano has made “a new alternative proposal to the Niger authorities to find an export solution either to France or to Namibia”but the Nigerien authorities have not followed up at this stage. Orano, however, remains “listening” from Niamey.
“Social measures”
In order to maintain the activity of the site, which directly employs around 700 people, and about as many employees at its subcontractors, Somaïr has therefore started to draw on these stocks provisioned and stored on French soil. This palliative measure, however, only offers a reprieve of a few months, warns Orano: “If the situation does not improve quickly for Somaïr, it will soon be forced to take social measures.”
In the absence of a release, Somaïr would be forced to take “progressive activity reduction measures which could lead to the cessation of activities in the coming months”the company also indicates.
Orano owns approximately 64% of Somaïr, the remainder of which is held by Niger’s state-owned company Sopamin. Since the resumption of operations in February, the site has produced just over 700 tonnes
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