In an assertive move, the self-appointed military administration of Niger has imposed a temporary halt on the issuance of new mining licenses, concurrently instigating a comprehensive audit of the entire mining sector, as communicated by the mines ministry.
Regrettably, the statement released on January 22nd, which came into the possession of Reuters on Thursday, did not elucidate the rationale behind this abrupt suspension of licenses.
Pertinently, attempts to solicit commentary from the mines minister regarding this development have proven unfruitful.
Niger, nestled in West Africa, boasts the continent’s most distinguished uranium deposits, standing as the seventh-largest global producer of this radioactive metal crucial for nuclear energy.
Despite a military coup last July, the nation sustains a pivotal uranium mining venture in the north, managed by France’s state-owned Orano, which remarkably remains operational.
Noteworthy is the fact that various artisanal gold mines are also actively contributing to the nation’s mineral wealth.
Among them, Nguvu Mining from Ghana holds the exclusive distinction of owning the lone commercial gold mine situated in the southwest, adding a unique facet to Niger’s multifaceted mining landscape.
