The main mine workers’ union in Niger has expressed support for the government’s decision to nationalise the Somair uranium mine, amid ongoing tensions with the mine’s operator Orano.
The union emphasised that mining operations would continue uninterrupted, according to a Reuters report.
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France-based Orano, which holds a 63% stake in Somair, has been criticised by the National Union of Niger Mine Workers (SYNTRAMIN) for allegedly taking more than its fair share from the mine.
Niger’s government took control of the Somair mine in December and announced plans to nationalise the mine last week.
This decision aligns with broader efforts by West African nations to enhance earnings from their natural resources.
Orano has opposed the nationalisation plan and is considering legal action, though it has not responded to the specific allegations.
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By GlobalDataSYNTRAMIN issued a statement on Saturday backing the “sovereign decision” of Niger’s military rulers, who came to power in a coup in 2023.
The union condemned what it described as “decades of pillaging organised for the benefit of foreign interests”.
The Niger Government claims that Orano has taken 86.3% of its production since the mine’s inception in 1971.
The mine is a key component in the global nuclear fuel supply chain, with Niger ranking as the world’s seventh-largest uranium producer.
In May, Orano initiated legal action against the Republic of Niger after the arrest of the head of Orano Mining Niger and the confiscation of the company’s assets.
This development transpired when Nigerien security forces conducted a search operation at the premises of Orano’s affiliate companies, namely Somaïr, Cominak, Imouraren, and Orano Mining, in Niamey on 5 May.
The operation involved the seizure of electronic equipment and mobile phones, and the questioning of the companies’ executive leaders.
