Mining industry of the Central African Republic
The
In 2006 the
However, in December 2014, the
Production
Production of gold and diamonds, which is mostly artisanal, comes from the regions of
Structure of the mineral industry
Production and trade of diamond and gold are overseen by the Bureau d'Evaluation et de Côntrole de Diamant et d'Or (BECDOR). BECDOR maintains the country's diamond and gold production database and assesses the value of diamond parcels that come from the various diamond-exporting companies (collectively known as bureaux d'achat) that operate in the country.
Commodities
Gold
Axmin Inc. of Canada continues to explore for gold in the country. A pre-feasibility study for the Passendro Gold Project was completed by GBM Gold Ltd. of the United Kingdom in early 2006. It was followed by a feasibility study conducted by Senet (pty) Ltd. of South Africa, commissioned during the third quarter of 2006. The pre-feasibility study had envisioned an open pit operation with a gravity carbon-in-leach processing plant that would process about 3 million metric tons per year (Mt/yr) of ore with production estimated to be about 6,200 kilograms per year (kg/yr) of gold (reported as 200,000 troy ounces).
Other companies exploring for gold in the country included Prospero Minerals Corp. (formerly Corumel Minerals Corp., before 2006), and Tamija Gold & Diamond Exploration Inc. of the United States, and London-based Pan-African Resources Plc.
AXMIN Inc. was stripped of its license to mine gold in Ndassima in 2019. It was instead awarded to Midas Ressources, a company run by Wagner Group.[3]
Diamond
In 2006, Energem Resources Inc. of Canada continued to focus on the development of suitable diamond prospects within its Bangana, Bria, Kotto, and Quadda concessions in the Haute-Kotto and Bamingui-Bangoran prefectures. Canadian Vaaldiam Resources Ltd.’s plans to explore for diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes in the country continued to be put on hold during the year as the company focused on other priority exploration areas elsewhere in the world.
Other companies exploring for diamond included Pangea Diamondfields Plc (
Mineral fuels
The Central African Republic did not produce mineral fuels in 2006 and depended upon imports for its energy requirements. United Reef Ltd. of Canada obtained the rights to a
Uranium
Uranium was discovered in 1966 in the Bakouma region in the eastern part of the country, and there was further prospecting in the Berbérati and Bangassou areas; exploitation has not occurred, because of high start-up costs and poor transportation. Reserves were estimated at 18,000 tons.
Iron
Iron deposits estimated at 3.5 million tons have been exploited in Berbérati and Bangassou, but production has now ceased.
References
- ^ a b Bermúdez-Lugo, Omayra. "The Mineral Industries of Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, and Togo" (PDF). 2006 Minerals Yearbook. United States Geological Survey (May 2008) This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain..
- ^ List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor
- ^ Inside Wagner, Russia’s Secret War Company | WSJ Documentary, retrieved 2023-06-10