Mining: AREVA and Namibia strengthen their strategic partnership

5/5/2009

Press release

AREVA CEO Anne Lauvergeon and Erkki Nghimtina, Namibian Minister of Mines and Energy, today signed an industrial partnership in the presence of Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba.

This provides for the creation by the Namibian government and AREVA of a joint mining exploration company for the country’s future uranium operations.

Today’s agreement confirms AREVA’s role as a strategic partner of Namibia, and its commitment to support the government’s efforts to maximize the value of its uranium resources and continue to develop local skills through training and higher education.

Commenting on the agreement as she left the Windhoek State House, Anne Lauvergeon said she was "delighted with the trust that the Namibian government has once again placed in AREVA, having already given the group the go-ahead to mine the Trekkopje deposit and build a desalination plant. With this new scope, we will be working with the government in exploring other uranium resources in other regions. It is the decisive first step in a long partnership."

AREVA in Namibia

AREVA is currently developing the Trekkoppje mining project, which is expected to begin production in 2010. At the same time, AREVA is building a seawater desalination plant to meet the Trekkopje mine’s water requirements. One hundred and forty people are currently working on projects and operations at Trekkopje, with 320 new jobs to be created by June 2010. The final headcount at the mine will reach 1100, including 600 mining subcontractors. In addition to this, the desalination plant site currently has 500 employees, with a further 200 working on the project construction site (to reach 1100).