On January 11 and 12, the Nigerien minister of state for mining and industrial development, Oumar Hamidou Tchana, visited the AREVA mining sites at Arlit and Imouraren. He was accompanied by the governor of the Agadez region, technical advisors to the country’s president and prime minister, the prefect of Arlit, and top ministry officials.
Welcomed at the sites by the managing directors of AREVA Mines Niger, SOMAÏR, COMINAK and IMOURAREN SA, the ministerial delegation first visited the COMINAK underground mine and then moved on to the SOMAÏR open pit mine, where it also looked over the heap leaching facilities and the uranate packing plant. The official tour continued at Imouraren, where the group was able to see the progress being made on the open pit mine and the airfield.