FACTBOX-Foreign investment in Niger

Published: 19 Oct 2009 17:04:08 PST

Oct 19 - Niger will go to the polls in legislative elections on Tuesday, a vote that is expected to tighten President Mamadou Tandja's authority.

Tandja says he needs greater control of the country in order to oversee investment and infrastructure projects.

Below are details of companies with mining, oil and industrial projects in Niger, which produces around 7.5 percent of the world's uranium.

For the main story, click on.

AREVA

French state-owned nuclear energy group Areva is developing the Imouraren uranium mine in the north of Niger. Due to begin producing in 2012 after initial investment of 1.2 billion euros, Imouraren is expected to be the biggest uranium mine in Africa with eventual production of 5,000 tonnes per year for 35 years.

Areva has operated Niger's two existing uranium mines, Cominak and Somair, since the 1970s.

BAYSWATER URANIUM

Canada-listed Bayswater owns eight concessions covering 4,000 sq km, where it intends to explore for uranium.

CAMECO

Cameco, the world's biggest uranium producer, last year bought an 11 percent stake in Govi High Power Exploration, which owns exploration properties around Arlit and Agadez in Niger.

CHINA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORP

Chinese state-owned CNPC struck a $5 billion deal with Niger's government last June to pump oil from the Agadem block within three years, and lay a 2,000 km pipeline to export it.

CNPC also said it would build a 20,000 barrels per day oil refinery, Niger's first. President Tandja laid the foundation stone of the Ganaram refinery in October last year. The deal, which included a $272 million signature bonus, was criticised by rights groups for lacking transparency.

CHINA NATIONAL URANIUM CORP

China's state-owned uranium firm, known as SINO-U, will invest $300 million in the Somina uranium mine, at Azelik near Agadez. The mine, due on stream by 2010, will produce around 700 tonnes per year. In April, China extended a $95 million loan to Niger to support the project.

EARTHSTONE GROUP

Indonesian mining, energy, construction and infrastructure firm Earthstone Group owns four uranium blocks in Niger.

ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK

The Islamic Development Bank has pledged $236 million to finance the construction of the Kandadji dam, the first stage of a $700 million hydropower project. Work began in August 2008.

KOREA RESOURCES CORP

South Korean state-owned Korea Resources Corp signed a memorandum of understanding in March to buy around 10 percent of its annual uranium needs from Niger.

NIGER URANIUM

London-listed Niger Uranium owns eight prospecting licences in the Tim Mersoi Basin, which it describes as the world's fifth most important uranium producing district.

NGM RESOURCES

Australian-listed NGM Resources owns three uranium exploration concessions in Niger via its subsidiary Indo Energy.

SEMAFO

Canada-listed gold miner Semafo owns 80 percent of the Samira Hill gold project, while the Niger government holds the remainder. At the end of 2008, mineral reserves totalled 631,100 ounces of gold and resources were almost 1.3 million ounces. In August, the firm said it received the mining permit for the Boulon Jounga zone at Samira Hill.

OTHER POTENTIAL PROJECTS

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NUCLEAR POWER

Niger plans to build a nuclear power station in the "medium to long term," an advisor to the minister of mines and energy said in February. Adolphe Gbaguidi Waly said the country had not decided how to implement the plan but would seek help from South Africa, the only African country that has a nuclear power plant.

TRANS-SAHARAN GAS PIPELINE

With Nigeria and Algeria, Niger signed an agreement in July to build a 4,000 km gas pipeline across the Sahara capable of transporting 30 billion cubic metres a year to Europe. Capital costs are estimated at $10 billion ffor the pipeline and $3 billion for gathering centres.

(Sources: World Nuclear Associatiom, company websites, Reuters data)