Uranium mine and miner's research, page-3

France Orano | Home

Orano's Uranium Mining, Usage, and Resources

Overview

Orano is one of the world’s leading uranium producers, with mining operations and projects spanning Canada, Kazakhstan, Niger, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan. The company is actively expanding its mining and processing capacities to meet rising global demand for nuclear fuel and to diversify its supply sources26.

Current Uranium Production and Mining Operations

	Country	Key Projects/Assets	Orano's Stake	Annual Production Capacity	Resource Estimates	Status/Notes
Canada	McClean Lake Mill	77.5%	24 million lbs U₃O₈ (~9,000 tU)	Processes Cigar Lake ore	2022 output: 18 million lbs U₃O₈ (~6,900 tU)3
	Cigar Lake Mine	40.453%	(see above)	High-grade, >123 million lbs produced since 2015	Operated by Cameco3
	McArthur River Mine	30.2%	15–18 million lbs U₃O₈ planned for 2023–2024	Large high-grade reserves	Operated by Cameco3
Kazakhstan	(Various, details not specified)	Not specified	Not specified	Not specified	Orano investing to prolong mine life26
Niger	Imouraren Project	Majority	5,000 tU (planned)	213,700 tU reserves + 62,500 tU indicated resources	Project on hold due to low prices4
	Somair Mine	Majority	Reduced to 40% of capacity in 2024	Not specified	Exports blocked due to political issues2
Mongolia	Zuuvch-Ovoo & Dulaan Uul/Umnut	JV with MonAtom	2,500 tU (planned)	~90,000 tU	30-year project, startup expected 2028178
Uzbekistan	South Djengeldi Project	JV with Navoiyuran	700 tU (peak, planned)	Not specified (aim to double resources)	10+ year project, exploration ongoing59

Resource Base and Expansion

• Mongolia:Orano and its Mongolian partner MonAtom are developing the Zuuvch-Ovoo and Dulaan Uul/Umnut deposits, with combined estimated uranium resources of close to 90,000 tonnes. The project is expected to produce about 2,500 tonnes of uranium per year over a 30-year lifespan, with production starting around 2028178.

• Niger:The Imouraren project holds 213,700 tonnes of uranium reserves and 62,500 tonnes of indicated resources. However, development is currently paused due to market conditions and political factors4.

• Uzbekistan:The South Djengeldi project, a joint venture with Navoiyuran, is expected to reach a peak annual production of 700 tonnes of uranium and sustain output for over a decade. Exploration aims to at least double the joint venture’s mineral resources59.

• Canada:Orano’s Canadian operations process some of the world’s highest-grade uranium ore, with significant ownership in the McClean Lake mill, Cigar Lake, and McArthur River mines. The McClean Lake mill alone can process up to 24 million pounds of uranium concentrate annually3.

Exploration and Future Projects

Orano invests heavily in exploration to secure at least 20 years of production visibility. The company is actively drilling and conducting geological studies in existing and new regions, including Canada, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan, to expand its resource base and ensure long-term supply6.

Summary Table: Orano’s Uranium Resource Highlights

	Project/Region	Resource Estimate (tU)	Annual Production (tU)	Status/Notes
Zuuvch-Ovoo & Dulaan Uul (Mongolia)	~90,000	2,500 (planned)	30-year project, startup 2028178
Imouraren (Niger)	213,700 (reserves) + 62,500 (indicated)	5,000 (planned)	On hold, market/political issues4
South Djengeldi (Uzbekistan)	Not specified (aim to double)	700 (peak, planned)	10+ year project, exploration ongoing59
McClean Lake/Cigar Lake (Canada)	High-grade, >123 million lbs produced	6,900–9,000 (recent years)	Ongoing, world’s highest-grade ore3

Conclusion

Orano is a major global uranium producer with a diversified portfolio of operating mines and development projects. Its current and planned projects collectively represent hundreds of thousands of tonnes of uranium resources, with annual production capacities ranging from hundreds to several thousand tonnes per site. The company continues to invest in exploration and new projects to maintain its leading position in the uranium sector and ensure long-term supply for the nuclear industry26.

On Imouraren (Niger)

Imouraren Uranium Project (Niger): Current Status and Key Facts

Location and Ownership

• Imouraren is located about 80 km south of Arlit and 160 km north of Agadez in northern Niger.

• The project is operated by Imouraren SA, which was 66.65% owned by Orano Expansion (formerly Areva) and 33.35% by Sopamin and the State of Niger136.

Resource Size

• Imouraren is one of the world’s largest uranium deposits, with mineral reserves estimated at over 200,000 tonnes of uranium (tU)1246.

• Orano lists 213,700 tU reserves at 0.07% U, plus 62,500 tU indicated resources4.

Project History and Development

• The deposit was discovered in 1966.

• Orano (then Areva) was awarded the mining permit in 2009, and initial excavations began in 201216.

• Development was suspended in 2015 due to low uranium prices and market conditions136.

• The project was designed as a €1.9 billion investment, with plans to ramp up to 5,000 tU per year for 35 years4.

Recent Developments (2024–2025)

• In early June 2024, Orano resumed preparatory activities at the site, reopening infrastructure and submitting a technical proposal to the Nigerien authorities, aiming to use in-situ leach (ISR) mining methods156.

• The Nigerien government, under the military junta that took power in 2023, issued a notice that Orano’s permit would be revoked if mining did not commence by June 19, 202426.

• Despite Orano’s efforts to restart work, the Nigerien authorities officially withdrew the operating permit for Imouraren in late June 2024, citing unmet expectations regarding development progress12356.

• The deposit has now reverted to the public domain, and Orano has reserved the right to challenge the decision through legal channels135.

Current Status (as of April 2025)

• Orano no longer holds the operating permit for Imouraren.

• The future of the project is uncertain, pending any legal or diplomatic resolution between Orano and the Nigerien government135.