Niger is launching a copper mining initiative in the Agadez region, granting a permit to local company Compagnie Miniere de l'Air (Cominair SA). This move is part of a broader strategy to diversify mining production and reduce foreign dependence. The project aims to create jobs and stimulate local businesses, with expectations of producing 2,700 tons of copper per year. Additionally, a smaller lithium mining initiative is set to begin. Despite potential security concerns in the region, the government emphasizes maintaining a stake in these ventures to control resources.
"Niger is continuing its programme of diversifying mining production" with a move that "marks its entry into the restricted circle of countries producing this strategic mineral."
The concession is part of Niger's strategy to reduce its reliance on foreign companies for mineral extraction, according to Ulf Laessing of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
The operators of the mine located in Niger's second largest city, Moradi, expect to produce an average of 2,700 tons of copper per year over a period of ten years, creating hundreds of new jobs.
The Nigerien state holds a 25% stake in the Cominair copper mine and a 40% stake in Comirex to maintain the government's control over the nation's resources.
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