AREVA has approached the governments of countries in which it has mining operations with a view to setting up health-watch programs on its mining sites, particularly in Africa. During her trip to Niamey on March 13, 2007, Anne Lauvergeon informed the President of Niger of the initiative.
The group's decision coincides with the completion of remediation work at the Mounana uranium mine in Gabon, operated until 1999 by its subsidiary COMUF. Mounana is the first equatorial forest site to have been redeveloped to international standards. The quality of the work was confirmed by four IAEA missions carried out between 2001 and 2006 on behalf of the Gabonese government. In geographical terms, the rainfall and vegetation of this pilot site have called for particularly close attention, to which the group intends to add a health-watch program.
To meet the expectations of local populations and stakeholders, AREVA hopes to extend this health-watch to all of the mines it operates worldwide, notably in Niger, Canada and Kazakhstan. It is proposing that such programs be set up in these countries under the aegis of the national authorities, with the participation of scientific bodies and NGOs. In particular, the health-watch programs will provide checkups for former group employees.
3/16/2007