African Minerals Marks Out Their Claim! Plant Beacons Wednesday, August 27, 2008 - Peep Information
In order for both companies to know their respective areas, the Ministry of Mineral Resources sent the Director of Geological Surveys, Mr. Bob Fofana and the Acting General Manager of Marampa Mines, Mr. Syl Khanu, to do the demarcation. On Tuesday, a team led by the Corporate and Public Relations Manager of African Minerals Ltd., Mr. Mustapha Kamara, went to the mining site to plant 12 pegs in areas where surveyors pinpointed as African Minerals Ltd., mining area.
Dignataries Present
The team included the Paramount Chief of Marampa Chiefdom, P.C. Bai Koblo Queen, two government representatives, the Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. A.O. Daramy, the Officer-in-Charge of Marampa Police, A.S.P. S.O. Williams, the OSD and Commander Lunsar, Inspector Salifu Kamara, and a brother of H.E. the President. Mr. Thomas Koroma.
AMC Promise
Together with local people, it was promised that Thomas Koroma would take the responsibility to refurbish the Pepel Port together with the local comunity and Councillor Osman Kanu of Ward 173 Lunsar. Although the other company, London Mining, did not take part in the laying of the pegs, the ceremony went on peacefully.
Beacons
The next day, Wednesday, the team returned to lay concrete beacons and for journalists to see the mining sites. Currently no mining is taking place at the sites.
Tailings
Both companies are collecting what is called ‘tailings’ - which is a mixture of iron ore and silt. Tailings are left overs from previous mining. The tailings that are being collected by both companies contain roughly 27% of iron ore. Machines separate the ore from the silt. The ore is dried and packaged for export.
Encroachment
Mr. Mustapha Kamara said: “although London Mining has encroached inside our space, the matter will be solved amicably”. P.C. Bai Koblo Queen said he received a government order for the demarcation and that order must be enforced and adhered to by the parties concerned.
Amicable Settlement
A.S.P. S.O. Williams: “I will put a patrol team in the mining area to prevent tension between the two parties. An AMC representative said, “we are only doing what government demands. As manager I do not side any party but do as ordered”. The two companies have been in dispute over who will have the rights to mine: with London Minerals threatening to leave the country.Although on the outside there seems to be peace between African Minerals Ltd. (AML) and London Mining Company (LMC), underneath there is tension according to residents in the Lunsar area who spoke to this press.
Security
There is a notorious security officer at LMC who persistently puts a barrier in the way of AML staff. His nickname, which is well known to all at Lunsar, is Five Star. Even on the day when the press was going to visit the mining sites on the second day, reports came that Five Star stopped some AML labourers from taking water to the area were AML was going to lay the demarcation beacons. Most people are not happy with LMC operations in the Marampa area. Over 70% of their workers come from outside the Marampa/Masimera axis. This press found some from Kono, Freetown and as far afield as Liberia.
Checkpoint
It was embarrassing for AML that when it was leading its visitors to its mining sites, the convoy met with a check-point manned by one LMC security staff. The convoy had to wait over 15 minutes as two boys in LMC security T-shirts made what they called ‘security checks’ on the vehicles. When this press inquired from the O/C of the Marampa Police Unit, ASP S.O. Williams, why the two companies should not do a joint operation he replied: “We will try to sort that out but meanwhile, our patrol teams will go around the area on a daily basis to ease tension”. The Paramount Chief, P.C. Bai Koblo Queen was more diplomatic when he said: “I see not tension and I see no problem as yet. All the same I shall continue to monitor things”.
Tailings At the site itself, although LMC have been shown the boundaries, they keep transferring tailings from AML areas to their own area. At an impromptu meeting held at the sites it was agreed that they should be left to carry on until government sends an order for them to stop. Everyday, hundreds of unemployed residents of Lunsar crowd round the AML offices to search for jobs. Up to last Wednesday, 20 people have been registered.
Jobs Some of them spoke to this press: “I’ve been coming here for three months and I believe I will surely secure employment here. They don’t want us at London Mining because we are from Lunsar.” “London Mining want only people from outside”. Another said: “I am prepared to accept any job at African Minerals. I do love the company because there is prospects for the future in it”. One man told this press: “Agriculture will not suffer at all because of the mining. As shifts are flexible we will still have time to do our farming”. Around Lunsar town there was mixed feelings. A school teacher told this press: “when new companies come they make fantastic promises which they cannot keep. roads “When London Mining came, they promised making our roads but nearly a decade here we have not seen anything. I believe it will be the same with African Minerals.” A female hawker told this press: “from what we have been hearing about African Minerals Corporate responsibility at Tonkolili, I believe we stand to benefit a lot”. It is clearly evident that there is no love lost between AML and LMC when LMC refused point blank to attend the demarcation ceremony. Although they did not try to stop it - the innuendoes thrown show they are not happy.
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