L. Fituni, I. Abramova Resource Potential of Africa and Russia's ...

ites and Miocene sediments extending along the Red Sea coast.
These recent exploration activities represent the first step in a longterm
future plan aiming at diversifying and maximizing Egypt uranium
resources, urgently required to support its national program of
peaceful uses of nuclear energy needed to secure its energy resources
for development projects. The upper Cretaceous phosphate
deposits represent one of the promising unconventional uranium
resources in Egypt. Confirmed estimates of these phosphate ore deposits
amount to about 700 million tonnes. Uranium content in these
deposits ranges between 50–200 ppm, with an average value 60
ppm. Although no reliable estimate of the uranium resources in
Egyptian phosphate ores has been made, it is possible that the deposits
contain up to 42 000 tU. 18
In Egypt, exploration and development activities were focused
on four uranium prospects in southern and northern portions of the
Eastern Desert and the southwest of the Sinai Peninsula. In early
2009, comprehensive geological, geophysical, and geochemical exploration
works in the southern part of the Eastern Desert and Red
Sea region were initiated, concentrating on potential uranium resources
in new target environments. Unconventional resources, including
phosphorite deposits, are also under investigation. Total expenditures
in Egypt have steadily increased from USD 1.76 million
in 2007 to USD 2.38 million in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Expenditures
are expected to increase further to about USD 2.8 million in
2009. 19
In Niger, uranium is produced by two companies, Somaïr and
Cominak, which have been operating mines in sandstone deposits
since 1970 and 1978 respectively. A third company, the Société
Minière de Tassa N’Taghalgue (SMTT) assigned its mining rights
to Somaïr in 1996 and was subsequently dissolved. The total production
capability of the two production centres in Niger is in the
process of being increased from 3 800 tU in 2006 to 4 500 tU in
2009
The Government of Botswana reported exploration expenditures
of USD 0.377 million in 2008 as regulations for uranium mining
and milling were being developed.
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