1100 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1978-79 
 
stage of the Kalana 1 mine~ which was concessions t~ three companies, two.
from owned by the Government and managed by~ France and one from Japan. Power
Reactor the U.S.S.R., was almost complete. Thetotal and Nuclear Fuel Development
Co. (PRNC), exploitation costs for the mine, up to year- a Japanese firm,
had expanded its original end 1979 were $299 million Its production 1974
concession in the vicinity of Tessalit capacity was estimated at 1,790 kilograms
The concession was in the region that borof gold and 49 kilograms of silver
per year ders Algeria and Niger. Also, sedimentary for 15 years. deposits
north of Gao at Adrar Ti-NSoiete Nationale de Recherches et Barakoye contained
0.48% U308. 
d'Exploitalion Minieres (SONAREM) and The French company, Compagnie GenerSoviet
geologists had estimated proven re- al des Matieres Nucleaires (COGEMA) had
serves of 146 million tons of hematite ore an initial concession near Mopti
COGEMA containing 40% to 65% iron in the Bafing had discovered uranium deposits
near Makana area, near the bank of the Faleme Taoudeni in the Sixteenth Region
and KenRiver opposite the Senegalese iron. ore de- ieba (Kayes Region) near
the Guinea borposit. der. COGEMA also had permits in Kenieba Pechmey (France)
Alusuisse (Switzer and Hombori Douentza BRGM had two 
land) and mainland China were interested uranium concessions one was located
along in bauxite deposits located in the southern the Senegalese border and
the other was and southwestern Mali (Balea and Sitaou- along the Upper Volta
and Niger front. 
ma) near Keyes The French National Ser The largest U S directed investments
in vice of Geology and Mining Prospecting Mali were in the mineral fuel sector
Texaco (SGPM) and the private French company Inc. had invested a total of
$239 million in Societe Africaine de Recherches et d' the Mauritania regions.
since 1970 and $1.1 Etudes Pour l'Aluminium, a branch of million during 1978.
Globe Oil Co.'s investPechiney-Ugine, carried out prospecting op- ments since
1973 totaled $269 million in the erations in the bauxite deposits. Probable
Menaka region. Mobil Oil Corp. invested reserves of 1,100 million tons of
bauxite $1.0 million in exploration during 1978. 
assayed at 45% A1203 with 3.4% silica were A French company invested $52
million found. for a 5-year license in the Gao fault area. 
 The Federal Republic of Germany fur- Elf-Aquitaine SA Societe Nouvelle (SNEA)
nished Mali with a contribution of $165 became an operating partner with
Murphy million to finance a second cement plant in Oil Corp. in its Gao permit.
This 50-50 Kayes. Located 400 kilometers west of Ba- partnership was expected
to allow SNEA to mako, the new dry-process cement plant expand its activites
both in the Macma area was expected to be rated at 250,000 tons per and to
the south. SNEA received explorayear. The plant was scheduled to start tion
rights to 37,056 square miles in an operations by 1983. Araouane permit and
33,899 square miles in 
 A phosphate deposit 150 kilometers north a Macma permit. Investments of
approxiof Gao, containing 25 million tons of 27% mately $1 million were required.
The Gov-~ 
 was being mined by SONAREM dur- ernment's share was not known, although
ing 1979. Production was estimated at 2,000 traditionally, the Malian Government
has tons per year. always sought to acquire large shares in The Government
had granted uranium prospecting oil companies. 
 
 
NIGER 
 
 Uranium continued to be Niger's chief handicapped because of the high cost
of export, and Niger continued to be the transporting goods which stemmed
from world's fifth largest producer of uranium Niger's landlocked position,
poor roads, and during 1978-79. The gross domestic product, absence of railroads.
Construction, transat 1978 prices, was estimated at $681.3 portation, and
related services accounted million during 1978.19 Uranium exports, in for
over 30% of the 1978 gross national tons of metal equivalent, were valued
at product. Niger's only mineral industries approximately 50% of the value
of all ex- were a metal working firm, a chemical ports. Anticipated growth
was expected to plant, a cement company, and two active increase the processed
uranium at Niger's uranium mines. 
disposal and spur greater Niger participa- Societe des Mines de l'Air (SOMAIR)
tion in the world's uranium markets. continued to mine uranium ore at its
mine The economy of Niger continued to be at Arlit. Reserves were estimated
at 20,000