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> they made it clear that the colonial style arrangements with France, which were driving dirt cheap uranium to Europe, were over. France was overpaying the ma

> they made it clear that the colonial style arrangements with France, which were driving dirt cheap uranium to Europe, were over. France was overpaying the market rate during the past 10 years to keep good relationships with the previous leadership so no it's the opposite, it's the end of the more expensive uranium for Niger most likely.

somenameforme 3y ago
The deals between France and Niger are not public, but Reuters was able to provide some citable data here (2015) [1] : --- "Reuters has reviewed documents which reveal that Areva’s mines pay no export duties on uranium, no taxes on materials and equipment used in mining operations, and a royalty of just 5.5 percent on the uranium they produce." --- Areva has been restructured and is now Orano. [2] Alongside the token level royalty rate and exemptions, they're undoubtedly also exploiting local labor. Niger is one of the poorest places in the world, with a nominal gdp/capita of $630 - about $50/month. There's a reason the streets were full of people rejoicing when the coup happened! [1] - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-niger-areva-specialreport-idUSBREA140AA20140205 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-niger-areva-specialreport... [2] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orano https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orano
- hokkos 3y ago
  Not true, the customs data are public and we know the price per kg of each grams of uranium from each counties, the Niger was on the expansive side, you can look it up it's code NC8 is 28441090 on the douane website. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F2_pLLfWcAAQswU?format=jpg&name=medium https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F2_pLLfWcAAQswU?format=jpg&name=...
  - somenameforme 3y ago
    I'm not sure what that table is showing, but it's not what you are implying. Niger is France's plurality supplier, so them showing 5% is clearly measuring something else. Beyond that, France is not importing from Niger in the nominal sense. A French state owned company, in Niger, mines the uranium, and then gives Niger a token royalty on profits. So if they claimed e.g. $100, you'd expect about $5.50 of that (unless Niger was able to negotiate a better deal since 2015) to go to Niger. So their "real" cost would be the $5.50 plus labor/supplies.
Cwizard 3y ago
Do you have a source for this?
- littlestymaar 3y ago
  I've heard that several time, and I'd like to have a source for that.
- realusername 3y ago
  You can look a market summary here: https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/70-years-of-global-uranium-production-by-country/ https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/70-years-of-global-ura... and an article here: https://www.lesechos.fr/finance-marches/marches-financiers/putsch-au-niger-pourquoi-le-marche-de-luranium-reste-de-marbre-1967351 https://www.lesechos.fr/finance-marches/marches-financiers/p... Basically Niger already dropped a lot as a source worldwide due to production costs. Areva even has a mine with permits to exploit in Imouraren which they don't actually exploit because uranium prices are so low that it's not economical to keep the mine opened. There's been talks to shut down all the remaining mines even before the coup. The prices paid by Areva were also increased by 50% during Hollande terms (https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/energie-environnement/20120611trib000703254/hollande-prone-la-cooperation-sur-l-uranium-avec-le-niger.html https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/energ...) for political reasons and pushed the mines not too far from closing economically.
  - aatd86 3y ago
    Well these are mostly French media outlets. You don't necessarily get the same information elsewhere... Go wonder... Could do the same and post this: https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/economy/1691490311-former-french-intelligence-agent-exposes-dirt-on-uranium-mining-operation-in-niger https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/economy/1691490...
    - realusername 3y ago
      That's pretty much the same thing but in English, the mine wasn't financially profitable because the global prices are lower and never opened. Additionally, I don't have any reason to think the medias I posted are biased either. It's not Russia

somenameforme 3y ago

The deals between France and Niger are not public, but Reuters was able to provide some citable data here (2015) [1] : --- "Reuters has reviewed documents which reveal that Areva’s mines pay no export duties on uranium, no taxes on materials and equipment used in mining operations, and a royalty of just 5.5 percent on the uranium they produce." --- Areva has been restructured and is now Orano. [2] Alongside the token level royalty rate and exemptions, they're undoubtedly also exploiting local labor. Niger is one of the poorest places in the world, with a nominal gdp/capita of $630 - about $50/month. There's a reason the streets were full of people rejoicing when the coup happened! [1] - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-niger-areva-specialreport-idUSBREA140AA20140205 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-niger-areva-specialreport... [2] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orano https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orano

hokkos 3y ago
Not true, the customs data are public and we know the price per kg of each grams of uranium from each counties, the Niger was on the expansive side, you can look it up it's code NC8 is 28441090 on the douane website. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F2_pLLfWcAAQswU?format=jpg&name=medium https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F2_pLLfWcAAQswU?format=jpg&name=...
- somenameforme 3y ago
  I'm not sure what that table is showing, but it's not what you are implying. Niger is France's plurality supplier, so them showing 5% is clearly measuring something else. Beyond that, France is not importing from Niger in the nominal sense. A French state owned company, in Niger, mines the uranium, and then gives Niger a token royalty on profits. So if they claimed e.g. $100, you'd expect about $5.50 of that (unless Niger was able to negotiate a better deal since 2015) to go to Niger. So their "real" cost would be the $5.50 plus labor/supplies.

Cwizard 3y ago

Do you have a source for this?

littlestymaar 3y ago
I've heard that several time, and I'd like to have a source for that.
realusername 3y ago
You can look a market summary here: https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/70-years-of-global-uranium-production-by-country/ https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/70-years-of-global-ura... and an article here: https://www.lesechos.fr/finance-marches/marches-financiers/putsch-au-niger-pourquoi-le-marche-de-luranium-reste-de-marbre-1967351 https://www.lesechos.fr/finance-marches/marches-financiers/p... Basically Niger already dropped a lot as a source worldwide due to production costs. Areva even has a mine with permits to exploit in Imouraren which they don't actually exploit because uranium prices are so low that it's not economical to keep the mine opened. There's been talks to shut down all the remaining mines even before the coup. The prices paid by Areva were also increased by 50% during Hollande terms (https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/energie-environnement/20120611trib000703254/hollande-prone-la-cooperation-sur-l-uranium-avec-le-niger.html https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/energ...) for political reasons and pushed the mines not too far from closing economically.
- aatd86 3y ago
  Well these are mostly French media outlets. You don't necessarily get the same information elsewhere... Go wonder... Could do the same and post this: https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/economy/1691490311-former-french-intelligence-agent-exposes-dirt-on-uranium-mining-operation-in-niger https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/economy/1691490...
  - realusername 3y ago
    That's pretty much the same thing but in English, the mine wasn't financially profitable because the global prices are lower and never opened. Additionally, I don't have any reason to think the medias I posted are biased either. It's not Russia