Talk:Iferouane

Uranium Mines
I removed this segment, which requires some explanation: Iferouane "contains a number of uranium mines. . Iferouane is at least 100km from the nearest Uranium mine: there are exactly three commercial uranium mines in Niger, all near Arlit, and all very large operations. They are no where even near Iferouane, a small mountain oasis town.  Even the prospecting for future Uranium mining is out on the Azawak plains along the western edge of the Air, not in the mountains themselves. The BBC article in question does state this, but it is quite stunningly incorrect.  I'm trying to think how to cite this fact, but it's rather hard to prove a negative, so for the time being, I'm removing it and putting this message here.
 * Before even finishing: here's a map of the Niger Uranium exploration permit parcels. The big round red ring on the right side is the Tamgak, where Iferouane is.  You'll see all the parcels are on the left, in the plain, dozens to hundreds of km away.  T L Miles (talk) 05:09, 7 February 2009 (UTC)

There are only two commercial uranium mining operations in the Tim Mersoi Basin of Niger. Both are within a few km of the town of Arlit, far from Iferouane. Iferouane lies in the Air Mountains, an area that is not currently subject to uranium exploration nor is it ever likely to be. The geologic terrain most favorable for uranium lies to the west of the Air Massif in the Tim Mersoi Basin (Azawak Plain). AREVA will begin producing uranium from the Imouraren deposit between Arlit and Agadez within two years. SinoU will begin producing uranium from the Azlik deposit by 2012. Both lie within the Tim Mersoi basin, even farther from Iferouane than the current mines.

Arlit Open Pit operated by SOMAIR  -- AREVA 63% Republic of Niger 37% 23,000 t reserves 24,000 t resources Discovered 1965

Akouta Underground operated by COMINAK -- AREVA 34% Republic of Niger 31% OURD (Japan) 25% ENUSA (Spain) 10% 24,300 t reserves Discovered 1967

Tombell7734 (talk) 03:14, 1 May 2009 (UTC)Tom Bell, Stratamodel Inc. Author of the permit map referenced above