Niger, Africa’s second largest uranium producer, should see great growth

Niger, which became independent from France in 1960 and has a democratic government, is the world’s sixth largest uranium producer. Output in 2008 was 3,032 t, representing 7% of total world uranium production. Areva’s Arlette and Akoula mines, responsible for 100% of Niger’s uranium production, have produced, together, 100,000 t of output in the last 40 years. Uranium mining accounts for 72% of Niger’s exports. Areva’s Imouran project will almost double the country’s uranium output to 5,000 t/y U3O8.

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