The Nigerien government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese state-owned company China Nuclear International Uranium Corporation (also known as SinoU) to restart the Azelik uranium mining project. Located 160 km southwest of Arlit and 150 km southwest of Agadez, the Azelik mine holds resources of 15,600 tU at 0.2%. It came into production in 2010 with the aim to ramp up to 700 tU/year but faced project delays, cost overruns, and low production, leading to financial difficulties. In 2015, it was closed and put on care and maintenance. The mine was initially projected to reach an output of 2,500 t/year in 2015 and 5,000 t/year in 2020.
The agreement includes, among other subjects, an examination of the feasibility of the Chinese company acquiring Société des mines d’Azelik (Somina) and collaboration on a nuclear power plant project. Indeed, SinoU could potentially take over Somina, in which it currently owns 37.2% of shares along with the Nigerien government (33%), via the Niger assets mining company Sopamin. Other shareholders includes China’s ZXJoy Invest (24.8%) and the South Korean state-owned mining firm Korea Mine Rehabilitation & Mineral Resources Corporation KOMIR (5%).
In 2020, Niger produced 2,991 t of uranium. Its total reserves are estimated at 315,500 t. In March 2021, the Cominak uranium mine in Arlit was shut down. In May 2023, the government signed a global partnership agreement with Orano to operate the Somaïr uranium mine in Northern Niger until 2040, compared to 2029 previously. In addition, the two partners agreed to postpone the start of exploitation of Imouraren, one of the largest uranium deposits in the world, also in northern Niger, whose reserves have been estimated at around 200 kt. They are aimed at reaching an investment decision by 2028 if feasibility is confirmed after a testing phase, which should start in 2024. The project was awarded to Orano in 2009. It was suspended in 2014 pending more favourable market conditions.