Orano - Annual Activity Report 2024 171 SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT 4 Environmental information MATERIAL IMPACTS, RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO FRESHWATER RESOURCES Type Impacts, Risks and Opportunities Localization in the value chain FRESHWATER [E3] PROVEN NEGATIVE IMPACT WATER REQUIREMENTS FOR ORANO’S ACTIVITIES AND ITS VALUE CHAIN OWN OPERATIONS, UPSTREAM, DOWNSTREAM IRO The activities of Orano and its value chain (upstream and downstream) require water resources. Description In the event of a water shortage, Orano’s use of water could impact ecosystems and local communities. FUTURE RISK RISK IN THE EVENT OF INSUFFICIENT WATER RESOURCES AT ORANO SITES OR IN THE UPSTREAM VALUE CHAIN OWN OPERATIONS, UPSTREAM IRO A lack of water (water stress, conflict of use arbitrated against us) would impact the activities and the ability to deliver customers. Description Within a decade, some of our activities may have to adjust their production according to access to water resources. The need for water is a dependency on an ecosystem service. This could disrupt our customers’ production schedules and delivery commitments, and therefore ultimately our sales or production costs. 4.2.2.2 Water resources policy and actions A precious natural resource, water management is at the heart of Orano’s environmental and societal concerns, as for its stakeholders. Water is essential to the smooth running of operations, as well as to the well-being of communities and the environment in which the group operates, in a context of increased climate change tension. Water within the group The group’s main water users are mining and chemistry-enrichment activities. Water is used in industrial processes, for dust removal in mining activities and to a lesser extent for employees and communities. In the group’s mining activities, the processing of uranium ore is carried out in a wet process, which requires water. Groundwater pumping is essential to access deposits in surface and underground mines. On In Situ Recovery (SRI) operations, as in Kazakhstan, this pumping enables the recovery of soluble uranium. Watering also ensures the removal of dust, thus limiting as much as possible the physical, chemical and radiological impact on the environment and workers. Orano Mining is committed to providing all its employees and their families living near operating sites with access to quality drinking water, as well as to appropriate sanitary facilities.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzMxNTcx