Areva Headquarters Searched in UraMin Probe

State-controlled nuclear group Areva's headquarters in Paris' La Defense district were searched on Tuesday by France's financial prosecutor as part of an investigation into Areva's $2.5 billion acquisition of Canadian uranium mining company UraMin in 2007, an Areva spokesman said.

"We have been the object of a search by the financial prosecutor following the referral by the state auditor. The company is cooperating," he said.

French daily Le Monde said that the home of former Areva CEO Anne Lauvergeon had also been searched. The prosecutor and Lauvergeon were not immediately available for comment.

The prosecutor has opened a preliminary investigation into the UraMin acquisition after the Cour des Comptes, a quasi-judicial auditor that oversees state accounts, referred the case to the prosecutor following its own audit of Areva's accounts between 2006 and 2012.

(Reporting by Geert De Clercq and Gerard Bon; Editing by James Regan)