25% of Europe’s uranium supply is in peril, as Niger military junta and anti-French officals close in on French mining operation.

After the July coup, the French government assured investors all was well, with Orano, a French government-backed multi-national assuming business as usual.

“The situation in Niger poses no risk to France’s security of supply for natural uranium,” an official said.

Now that is becoming less clear by the day.

A report in French media said the new Niger regime is seeking the withdrawal of a key mining license held by Orano. 

Media reports today said the license to mine uranium at the Imouraren operation in north-east Niger was set to be withdrawn.

“M62 requests the withdrawal of the operating license of the Imouraren site from the French group Orano,’ a headline read in rfi.fr

The reports said the operating permit for the Imouraren site is held “illegally” by Orano.

Officials are reported as saying that the government now believes ‘that the exploitation of Niger’s uranium does not benefit the Nigerien people enough.’

The French Ambassador has this week withdrawn from Niger and at the weekend, President Macron said he would withdraw all French troops from the country by year’s end.

Earlier this month, Orano French nuclear group Orano SA said it was halting the processing of uranium ore at one of its facilities in Niger because international sanctions against the military junta are hampering logistics.

Niger contributes some 5% of the global uranium supply and about 25% of European supply.