Niger to nationalize Somair uranium venture operated by Orano

Niger plans to nationalize the Somair uranium mine operated by France’s Orano after months of worsening relations between the French state-owned company and its local partners following a 2023 coup in the West African nation. Niger’s decision to nationalize Somair comes amid a wave of mine nationalizations across West Africa, prompting concerns from global miners …

Orano and Navoiyuran sign an agreement paving the way for the industrial development of the South Djengeldi uranium deposit in Uzbekistan

Orano and Navoiyuran announce an agreement laying the foundations for the industrial development of the South Djengeldi uranium mining project of their joint venture Nurlikum Mining. According to the terms of the agreement, the South Djengeldi project will be integrated into the existing industrial base of Navoiyuran that will be the project’s operator. The agreement …

France’s Orano selects Tennessee site to build uranium enrichment plant

France’s state-owned nuclear fuel company Orano has selected Oak Ridge, Tennessee as a preferred site to build a multi-billion dollar U.S. uranium enrichment plant, Tennessee and Orano officials said on Wednesday. The move comes months after the administration of President Joe Biden signed legislation meant to eventually end dependence on Russia, the world’s top supplier …

Radioactive Leak Threat in Russia as Flood Heads for Uranium Mines

Russian environmentalists are sounding the alarm about a radioactive leak threat as floodwaters approach a uranium mine in the region of Kurgan in Russia’s Urals mountains. The Russian Urals region and neighboring northern Kazakhstan have suffered the worst flooding in 80 years amid heavy rainfall exacerbated by large snowfalls, which are melting rapidly as a …

At COP28, U.S., Canada, France, Japan, and UK Announce Plans to Mobilize $4.2 Billion for Reliable Global Nuclear Energy Supply Chain

Leaders from the United States, Canada, France, Japan, and the United Kingdom today announced plans to mobilize $4.2 billion in government-led investments to develop a secure, reliable global nuclear energy supply chain. These investments will enhance uranium enrichment and conversion capacity over the next three years and establish a resilient global uranium supply market free …

Russian Uranium Import Ban Teed Up for US House Floor Vote

Legislation that would bar the import of enriched Russian uranium into the US has been teed up for a vote in the US House of Representatives. The Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act, by Washington Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, has been scheduled for consideration next week under an expedited procedure that requires two-thirds majority to pass, …

Urenco agrees supply deal with Energoatom to 2035

The contract will see Urenco continuing to supply Ukraine’s Energoatom with enriched uranium until 2035, with an option to extend the contract to 2043.  The contract was signed by Energoatom President Petro Kotin (pictured above, centre) and Urenco CEO Boris Schucht (third from the right) during the World Nuclear Exhibition 2023 in Paris. Urenco, a UK-Dutch-German company, …