SOMAIR
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Location | Arlit |
| Agadez Region | |
| Country | Niger |
| Production | |
| Products | uranium |
| History | |
| Opened | 1971 |
| Owner | |
| Company | AREVA (63.4%), Government of Niger (36.6%) |
| Year of acquisition | 1969 |
SOMAIR (Société des Mines de l'Air) is a national mining company of Niger in the mining area of its northern zone. Established in 1968, it started uranium mining at the Arlit deposit in 1971, mining 0.30 - 0.35% ore down to depth of 60 metres (200 ft) depth. By 1981, the company was producing 2100 tU/yr and by 2006 it was producing 1565 tU at the Tamou deposit. The production peaked to 3065 tU in 2012. The resources, according to the Red Book, are assessed at 23,170 tU, as of 2010, at 42,200 tU of 0.25%U grade recoverable conventionally, and 5500 tU of 0.07%U grade from heap leaching. SOMAIR is one of two national mining companies in Niger, the other being COMINAK in the nearby Akokan.
Arlit and Akokan are the twin mining towns of SOMAIR. They are situated on the southern border of the Sahara desert, where uranium is extracted, and are on the western fringe of the Aïr Mountains. They are located 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) to the north-east of Niamey, the capital of Niger.
Discovery of uranium in Niger is dated to 1967. It was discovered at Azelik by the French Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minières (BRGM). Studies of its potential and quality were commenced by the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). Uranium deposits were also discovered in sandstone formations in other locations in Niger such as at Abokurum (1959), Madaouela (1963), Arlette, Ariege, Artois and Tassa/Taza (1965), Imouraren (1966) and Akouta (1967). In 1971, SOMAIR became the first company to operate the Arlit mine. Yet another company, the Société Minière de Tassa N'Taghalgue (SMTT) assigned its mining rights in 1996 to SOMAIR before it dissolved.
SOMAIR, like COMINAK, is a subsidiary of Areva. The company's two shareholders are Cogema (now Areva NC) and ONAREM (Office National des Ressources Minieres du Niger). The mine operations conform to the ISO 14001 certification.
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