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274:(HDPE) of 2 millimetres (0.079 in) thickness is laid over the clay layer. The optimized design adopted envisages minimizing the cut-and-fill earthworks and also ensure pad-drainage slopes to enable gravity drainage "through a solution channel to the ponds". The drainage pipes are perforated and are installed in a "herringbone pattern", in each cell. The collection of drainage water from each cell is achieved by linking them to a collector drainpipe which carries the drained water into the processing ponds. The piping system was fully camouflaged with fill of ore material.
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3065 tU in 2012. Since 2010, the production from SOMAIR Lixi mine has been 1000 tU/yr. The mill capacity has also been upgraded to handle 3000 tU/year. This operation has an annual production rate of 1.4 Mt of low-grade ore with a yield of less than 0.1%U. The processed ore is converted into concentrates and then transported to the ports of Benin. From these ports, they are shipped to
Comurhex in France.
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Niger: 2001 Article IV Consultation, the Second Review and Second Annual
Program Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility Arrangement, and Request for Interim Assistance Under the Enhanced Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries--Staff Report; Public Information Notice and News Brief on
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According to the Red Book, the resource potential of the ore was 42,200 tU as of 2010; this includes conventional recovery of 42,200 tU of 0.25%U, and by heap leaching another 5500 tU at 0.07%U. The production of the SOMAIR mines have progressively increased from 1808 tU in 2009, 2726 tU in 2011 and
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During 2005–06, new leach pads were constructed over the old ones. The new leach pad is capable of handling 17 million tonnes of uranium ore which could yield 1.4 million tonnes of uranium extract per year. For the new leach pad, called a heap leach pad, associated with processing ponds, the design
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The extraction process was started during the late 1970s and early 1980s and involved the building of exclusive leach pad processing operations of the extracted uranium ores, apart from open cut mining. Initially, the Artois deposits were extracted by open cut mining up to 60 metres (200 ft)
210:(1966) and Akouta (1967). In 1971, SOMAIR became the first company to operate the Arlit mine. Yet another company, the Société Minière de Tassa N'Taghalgue (SMTT) assigned its mining rights in 1996 to SOMAIR before it dissolved.
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adopted at the SOMAR mining site is 30 metres (98 ft) in height. It is built up with 5 layers of 6 metres (20 ft) lift each. The leach pad and the pond are built over a layer of 300 millimetres (12 in) thick,
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deposit. The production peaked to 3065 tU in 2012. The resources, according to the Red Book, are assessed at 23,170 tU, as of 2010, at 42,200 tU of 0.25%U grade recoverable conventionally, and 5500 tU of 0.07%U grade from
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depth with a production rate of 0.30 - 0.35% ore. Lower grade uranium is exploited up to deeper depths of 90 metres (300 ft)), but with lower ore extraction rate of 0.20 - 0.25%.
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deposit in 1971, mining 0.30 - 0.35% ore down to depth of 60 metres (200 ft) depth. By 1981, the company was producing 2100 tU/yr and by 2006 it was producing 1565 tU at the
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249:. The company's two shareholders are Cogema (now Areva NC) and ONAREM (Office National des Ressources Minieres du Niger). The mine operations conform to the
424:"Potential Use of Radioactively Contaminated Mining Materials in the Construction of Residential Homes From Open Pit Uranium Mines in Gabon And Niger"
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202:(BRGM). Studies of its potential and quality were commenced by the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). Uranium deposits were also discovered in
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formations in other locations in Niger such as
Abokurum (1959), Madaouela (1963), Arlette, Ariege, Artois and Tassa/Taza (1965),
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in the mining area of its northern zone. Established in 1968, it started uranium mining at the
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The discovery of uranium in Niger dates to 1967. It was discovered at Azelik by the French
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are the twin mining towns of SOMAIR. They are situated on the southern border of the
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453:"Left in the dust: AREVA's radioactive legacy in the desert towns of Niger"
149:. SOMAIR is one of two national mining companies in Niger, the other being
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180:. They are located 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) to the north-east of
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Francophone Africa, 1905-2005: A Century of
Economic and Social Change
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395:. International Monetary Fund. 1 March 2002. p. 25.
318:"RPT-Work resumes at Areva Somair uranium mine in Niger"
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Non-renewable resource companies established in 1968
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543:. OECD Publishing. 3 August 2010. pp. 305–.
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572:"Niger: Uranium mine set to operate until 2040"
540:Uranium 2009: Resources, Production and Demand
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200:Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières
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288:List of countries by uranium production
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213:In May 2023, the Niger government and
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392:the Executive Board Discussion (EPub)
293:List of countries by uranium reserves
601:"SOMAIR Uranium Mine Heap Leach Pad"
510:. Allied Publishers. pp. 250–.
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96:(63.4%), Government of Niger (36.6%)
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132:) is a national mining company of
114:SOMAIR's headquarters building in
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629:Uranium mining companies of Niger
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298:Oil and mining industry of Niger
229:Arlit mine under SOMAIR in Niger
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639:1968 establishments in Niger
237:Sign for the mine restaurant
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367:. World Nuclear Association
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130:Société des Mines de l'Air
478:"Akokan and Arlit, Niger"
272:High-density polyethylene
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458:. Greenpeace. p. 10
184:, the capital of Niger.
431:Uranium Mining in Niger
16:Mining company of Niger
504:Singh, Daleep (2008).
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270:of low permeability.
245:, is a subsidiary of
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603:. SRK Consulting.com
101:Year of acquisition
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365:"Uranium in Niger"
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550:978-92-64-04789-1
517:978-81-8424-258-4
402:978-1-4527-3932-8
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605:. Retrieved
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578:. 4 May 2023
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483:Google Maps
623:Categories
576:Africanews
304:References
257:Production
221:Operations
57:Production
251:ISO 14001
208:Imouraren
204:sandstone
161:Geography
607:21 March
582:4 August
556:22 March
523:22 March
489:28 April
462:27 April
437:27 April
408:20 March
371:20 March
330:21 March
282:See also
62:Products
30:Location
25:Location
480:(Map).
323:Reuters
243:COMINAK
188:History
151:COMINAK
90:Company
72:History
66:uranium
47:Country
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182:Niamey
170:Akokan
155:Akokan
126:SOMAIR
116:Niamey
77:Opened
20:SOMAIR
456:(PDF)
427:(PDF)
247:Areva
215:Orano
166:Arlit
142:Tamou
138:Arlit
134:Niger
120:Niger
94:AREVA
85:Owner
51:Niger
34:Arlit
609:2013
584:2023
558:2013
545:ISBN
525:2013
512:ISBN
491:2013
464:2013
439:2013
410:2013
397:ISBN
373:2013
332:2013
268:clay
168:and
104:1969
80:1971
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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