The MiningWrap BriefNo. 36
Niger hands former Orano uranium ground to new state miner Tsumco
The week in African mining — 20 August 2026.
1UraniumNiger hands former Orano uranium ground to new state miner TsumcoNiger's cabinet has granted a uranium mining permit for the In Azaoua area near Arlit to Tsumco SA, a state company created after Niger nationalised Orano's Somaïr mine, formalising its control of ground once run by the French group.
2MarketsRand hits R16.06 as gold's third straight weekly gain lifts risk appetiteThe rand strengthened to R16.0550 to the dollar on 21 August 2026 as gold tracked a third consecutive weekly advance and the US dollar weakened broadly.
3GoldMako's Senegal dividend underpins Resolute's H1 2026 resultsResolute Mining posted a $162.6m net profit for H1 2026 as record gold prices offset lower group output, with its Senegalese unit paying a $121.3m dividend that included the government's share.
4Energy & InfrastructureTanzania expands Dar es Salaam port as DRC plans dedicated mineral dry portTanzania is building four new berths at Dar es Salaam after record cargo throughput, while the DRC has announced plans for a dedicated dry port there to clear its mineral exports.
5PolicyNamibia leans on EU expertise to draft a critical minerals strategyThe European Commission has commissioned consultants to help Namibia draft a National Critical Raw Materials Strategy covering uranium, lithium and rare earths, as Windhoek balances competing EU and Chinese interest in its minerals.
Where prices closed
Gold $4,516.30/oz · Platinum $1,831.00/oz · Copper $14,242/t