Government of Greenland awards two exploration permits to Orano

The Government of Greenland has recently awarded permits to Orano for it to conduct exploration works on uranium deposits in two zones, located in the south-east and the south-west of the country. 

Within the framework of a territorial development program, the Greenland authorities have decided to give the go-ahead for the emergence of new projects for the exploration and mining of the country's mineral resources. 

The first exploration works to be conducted by Orano will commence as of 2021 to analyze and assess the interest of mining in each zone. They will be carried out in strictest compliance with environmental standards, in accordance with the requirements of the Government of Greenland and practices employed by Orano.

The envisaged works do not pose any risks with regard to the preservation of natural ecosystems of Greenland. They will consist of geophysical measurements taken from the sky and observations in the field accompanied by surface samples to be taken by the group's geologists. 

Upon completion of this exploration phase, a first environmental impact study will have to be carried out, along with more advanced assessments of the mineral potential of the zones concerned with a view to determining the feasibility of mining the deposits. 

Nicolas Maes, Senior Executive Vice-President of Orano’s mining activities, declared: "We are proud that the Government of Greenland has chosen to place its trust in us. It is a strong sign of recognition of the skills and experience that our group has acquired over 50 years of exploration of uranium deposits. Orano has a dynamic exploration policy (Niger, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Canada, and recently Uzbekistan), and has made strong commitments in terms of respect for the environment and Corporate Social Responsibility."