Its about a week old but Mbalam gets a mention. Also shows a real push in trying to get projects off the ground and being productive. I dont believe the Cameroonian Government will put any stumbling blocks to any future projects.
Regards
Larger..............
Cameroon: Gov't Reviews Mineral Exploitation Strategy
The First National Mineral Forum opened in Yaounde yesterday.
Mining experts from the private and public sectors, the civil society and Non Governmental Organisations among others, will work out a new strategy for Cameroon to hasten and make efficient the exploitation of the country's rich mineral potential.
The experts began meeting at the Yaounde Hilton yesterday in the first edition of the National Mining Forum with the objective of identifying problems of the mining and geology sector in Cameroon, enabling the authorities to formulate their mining vision while drawing inspiration from the experiences of other countries, especially those with established mining tradition and discussing strategies to be implemented for the rapid development of a powerful mining sector.
According to the Minister of Industries, Mines and Technological Development, Badel Ndanga Ndinga, who presided at the opening ceremony, only 40 per cent of the country's potentials have been explored; and this has given interesting results. "In spite of the rich natural resource potentials, hydrocarbons excluded, minerals represents only 0.13 per cent of the Gross National Product", Badel Ndanga Ndinga said. Research carried out so far since the 80s reveal mineral deposits, some of which are of international class. These include, the Cobalt and Nickel located in Lomie, the Ngaoundal and Minim-Martap bauxite and the Mbalam Iron Ore deposits.
From every indication, the authorities are not satisfied with the level of exploitation of existing minerals. This situation is really difficult to explain considering that in 2001, with the support of the World Bank, Cameroon worked out a mineral code to create an attractive and competitive framework with clear regulations that do not discriminate between the State and private sector professionals. Since then, only one exploitation permit has been issued out to GEOCAM for the exploitation of Cobalt/Nickel in Nkamouna near Lomie and 86 permits delivered for research.
The development of the Mineral sector, Badel Ndanga Ndinga said, will help cover the vacuum that could be created by the global crises which are presently affecting other sectors of the economy.
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