Mining Conference Kicks-off in Yaoundé, Over 300 New Minerals in Exhibition

BY NDIMUH B. SHANCHO

Representatives of top mining companies and specialists of the Mining and Quarry operating sectors, Government and World Bank officials, financial institutions, insurance companies, laboratories and drilling companies representative and geologists amongst others are converging on Palais des Congrès, Yaounde for the third edition of Cameroon International Mining Conference & Exhibition, CIMEC.

Organised by Cameroon’s Ministry of Mines, Industry and Technological Development in association with Planet Investment & Promotion (PIP), the Conference, September 2-4, 2019, is taking place under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Cameroon.

Placed under the theme: new mining opportunities in Cameroon, evidence of more than 300 new mineral occurrences presented by the World Bank and the Ministry of Mines, Industries and Technological Development, the Conference serves as an opportunity for participants to learn from experts about the potential of Cameroon’s sub-soil resources, get credible information on exploration licenses, and network with decision makers amongst others.

A concept note published a few months ago by the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Technological Development shows that, “through Aeromagnetic and gravimetric surveys followed by geochemical and geological studies with over 18,000 samples collected, recorded over 300 new mineral occurrences of diverse minerals ranging from gold, Co, Ni, Mn, basemetals, Rare earth elements Uranium Rutile and many others were identified in five regions of the Country”.

The Cameroon International, Investment Mining and Exhibition Conference is therefore, serving as a platform for the presentation of details of this great discovery, considered “the largest since independence”.

Besides the presentation of the findings of five years of work by the World Bank and the Ministry in charge of mines that is details of the discovery in Cameroon, participants are being drilled on the importance of geo-scientific data for the assurance of a sustainable Cameroonian mining sector: risks, uncertainty and challenges linked to prospectively, targeting the generating of exploitation projects and the value of mining activities.

 They are also being schooled on procedures of acquisition of new mineral occurrences and presentation of the newly digitalized mining cadaster, mechanisms of financing exploration mining in Cameroon, artisanal mining as indicators to Cameroon’s Gold potential and Leading the way in gold Exploration in Cameroon amongst others.

The Conference will also culminate in the review of project owner and investment meetings and the announcement of negotiated business engagements.