French nuclear group Orano states that approximately 1,500 metric tons of uranium remain stockpiled at its expropriated SOMAIR mine in northern Niger and warns that it will seek compensation and pursue criminal charges if the material is seized or sold without authorisation.
The statement follows an order by the World Bank’s arbitration body directing Niger to halt any trading of uranium from the Somaïr mine, which the country’s junta seized from French nuclear company Orano SA earlier this year.
A source at the site said that Niger has not yet sold any uranium, although potential buyers include Iranians, Russians and Turkey, according to Reuters.
Niger, the world’s seventh-largest producer of uranium, used in nuclear fuel and cancer treatment, supplied about 15% of Orano’s uranium when its mines were fully operational.
Junta tightens grip
The country’s military rulers took control of the Somaïr mine in June after months of blocked exports and a raid on Orano’s offices in Niamey, escalating tensions with the French state-controlled company.
The junta, which seized power in 2023, defended the nationalisation, accusing Orano of extracting 86.3% of uranium output since 1971 despite holding only a 63% stake.
The SOMAIR mine near the city of Arlit has produced more than 70,000 tons of uranium since the 1970s.
Niger’s move mirrors a broader trend among junta-led West African states such as Mali and Burkina Faso to assert tighter control over natural resources.