Niger has withdrawn the operating license for its large uranium mine from the French group Orano, the company said in a press release.
The Imouraren deposit, north of Nigerien city Agadez, is one of the largest in the world, with estimated reserves of 200,000 tonnes. However, it has been idle for more than a decade.
In early June, Niamey reminded Orano that it had until June 19 to resume work; otherwise, it would lose the right to operate the mine.
Niger's Minister of Mines, Colonel Ousmane Abarchi, also referred to his earlier announcement that he would return the site "to the public domain" if "exploitation work" had not begun within "three months" of March 19.