The expected deal would allow the Chinese firm to gain access to the world’s second-largest uranium reserves with a planned annual production of 5,000mt, reported China Daily citing French media reports.
Earlier this year, CGNP and the China-Africa Development Fund had agreed to buy Australia-based explorer Extract Resources for $2.3bn to gain access to uranium deposits in Namibia.
Currently, Areva owns 57% stake in Imouraren while the remaining 43% is held by Niger and an investment consortium led by South Korea. Imouraren is scheduled to start uranium production in 2013.
Areva and CGNP are now cooperating on the construction of two nuclear reactors at Taishan nuclear power plant in China’s Guangdong province.
