Uranium exploration firms flock to Niger desert

Uranium exploration firms flock to Niger desert
Sat 12 May 2007, 14:09 GMT
By Abdoulaye Massalatchi

NIAMEY (Reuters) - Niger has granted a wave of permits to British, Canadian and Indian mining firms allowing them to explore for uranium in its desert north, the West African country's government said on Saturday.
A total of 23 permits were granted to three Canadian firms, three British firms and an Indian company, enabling them to explore in the former French colony's Arlit and Tchirozerine regions, vast swathes of land in the southern Sahara desert.
Canada's Southampton Ventures Inc, Delta Exploration Inc and UraMin Inc., Britain's COJ Commodity Investments Ltd., Agadez Ltd. and Indo Energy Ltd., and India's Taurian Resources Pvt Ltd. between them pledged to invest some $55 million in exploration activities over the next three years.
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The government has already granted around 70 mining exploration permits, mostly for uranium, and around 100 more are currently under consideration.
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