French uranium giant targets 15,000km² exploration
Mbongeni Mguni | Monday April 20, 2026 06:00
Senior officials confirmed to BusinessWeek that the group, which is 90% owned by the French government, is moving ahead with various activities geared at kickstarting exploration activities in the country.
“Orano has submitted applications for exploration permits in the Ghanzi District to the Department of Mines of the Ministry of Minerals and Energy of Botswana,” Gwénaël Thomas, Orano’s press office manager said in a written response on Tuesday. “A total of 15 exploration permits located in the Gantsi district, covering an area of 15,000km², are currently under review. “The first exploration operations will begin as soon as the necessary authorisations have been granted by the administrative authorities.”
He said public hearings have been organised with local communities to present Orano's exploration activities in Botswana.
“Furthermore, Orano's teams have launched an environmental impact assessment, the results of which will be communicated to the Botswana authorities at the end of the process,” Thomas said.
Analysts said the fact that a process towards an environmental impact assessment had already been launched whilst the prospecting licences were still awaited, pointed to Orano’s eagerness to proceed with exploration activities.
BusinessWeek has also been informed that a local subsidiary, Orano Botswana Pty Ltd, was registered on April 10. Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) records show that the company is wholly owned by the French group.
The latest developments stem from engagements made as far back as October last year when Minerals and Energy minister, Bogolo Kenewendo, met with Orano executives and other officials in Paris.
President Duma Boko last week also engaged the Orano executives, including Mining Business Unit head, Xavier Saint Martin Tillet and Vice President for Strategy Pierre Fourrier. Tillet is listed as the beneficial shareholder of Orano Botswana.
BusinessWeek is informed that during the engagements, Boko stressed the need for value addition in Botswana.
“He emphasised domestic value chain production during the meeting,” an insider said following the meeting.
The French group, which raked in €633 million in net income for 2024, has faced accusations of stripping resources from its mines and not adequately adding value in the source countries.
The mining giant’s entry into local mining represents the largest minerals sector push by France and is expected to shake up the local uranium sector which has been plagued by stasis for more than 10 years.
The energy metal has battled through booms and busts in price over the years, affecting the pace of development by explorers in the country and globally.
Orano’s deeper pockets, with assets of about 26 billion euros, allows the group to exercise greater patience in exploring and proving the viability of commercial operations on any licences awarded in Botswana.
“Orano is a key player in the uranium market,” Thomas told BusinessWeek. “As part of the nuclear revival and to anticipate natural uranium needs for its utility clients, Orano is investing in mining exploration activities. “For several years, Orano's exploration budget has been among the largest in the uranium mining sector.”
Botswana represents one of the world’s largest untapped uranium resources, an important metal for nuclear energy and the clean energy movement.