COMINAK

The Compagnie Minière d' Akouta ( Cominak ) is a uranium mining companies in Niger, which operates several uranium mines in the north of the country.

Corporate Structure

The Cominak is a Société Anonyme (SA ), headquartered in SONARA building in Niamey. Its capital is 3.5 billion CFA francs. The French state-owned company Areva owns 34 % of the company. The Nigerien government is concerned about the Société du Patrimoine des Mines du Niger ( SOPAMIN ) with 31%. The Japanese consortium Overseas Uranium Resources Development ( OURD ) are 25 % and the Spanish state-owned enterprises ENUSA Industrias Avanzadas 10% of Cominak shares. The company employs 950 workers and employees simple, 194 team leaders and 55 higher executives. As suppliers are 671 people employed (as at 31 December 2009).

History

The Cominak is the second oldest Nigerien uranium mining company after the Société des Mines de l' Aïr ( Somaïr ). It was founded on 12 June 1974 after Niger, France and Japan had in 1970 a protocol for joint exploration of uranium deposit Akouta signed. Until 1978 the Cominak invested an estimated 54 billion CFA francs in the development of Akouta, including the construction of a factory and the investment of the mining settlement Akokan on the outskirts of Arlit. The factory started its operation in 1978. Later, the Cominak other uranium deposits in Akola and Afasto opened up at Akouta. 1979 produces 1781 tonnes of uranium content in 1981 with 2103 tons more than the Somaïr. A global oversupply of uranium led in 1986 to the fact that the Cominak slowed their production. The world market price per kilogram of uranium decreased from 500 francs in 1989 to 220 francs in 1999. Employees the Cominak 1989 nor more than 2000 people, this number is the majority shareholder Areva and Niger State fell to an estimated 1233 in December 1997. Renewed 2001, the mining license. The Areva was targeted by environmentalists, who measured an increased radioactivity in a wide radius around the Cominak - mining sites. The company then sought the attainment of environmental certificates. The Cominak in 2003 and 2006, ISO 14001 certified. 2012, the production amounted to 1506 tons of uranium content.