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TOGO: Back / Exploitation of phosphate carbonate in Togo - Towards a mock tender for the benefit of Australian society Sultan Corporation Limited
Submitted by admin on Fri, 12/08/2011 - 15:35
Quoting a dispatch from the electronic journal "Africa Mining Intelligence (AMI)," we announced in one of our publications (Freedom No. 1018 of July 28, 2011) that a tender was launched by the Togolese authorities to the allocation of carbonated phosphates. "Finally, transparency in the phosphate sector in Togo? "Have we asked. Apprehension is confirmed with the information we receive. And all indications are that this will be a mock tender in favor of Sultan Corporation Limited Australian company which may be a kind of shell company decision makers.

In the beginning was phosphate Togo SA

Togo Phosphate SA is a local company set up following a joint venture (English expression meaning a joint subsidiary of two or more undertakings as part of an international economic cooperation) between the phosphate Togo SA and Sultan Corporation Ltd Derek Lenartowicz, a Polish-born Australian entrepreneur. Togo Phosphate is society driven by the lobbyist SA Burkina Kanazo? Issa, who introduced Mr. Lenartowicz Togo. But against all expectations, the company Togolo-Burkina Faso has been the key while the technical and financial offer submitted to the authorities were rather well received. Africa Mining Intelligence (No. 244 of February 16, 2011) revealed in his time there was a clear will of the Togolese authorities to supplant the leaders of Togo Phosphate SA and negotiate directly with Sultan Corporation Ltd. "On his way recently in Australia to negotiate directly with the Sultan Corporation Ltd granting a concession for carbonate phosphate in Togo, the Minister of Mines and Energy, Dammipi Noupokou, and the Director General of Mines and Geology, Matthias Banimpo Gbengbartane, they wanted to "double up" Togo Phosphates SA? "Wondered AMI. And the online newspaper added that "the record Togo Phosphate SA was blocked at the last minute by Barry Moussa Barque, Special Advisor to the Head of State, Faure Gnassingbe." In this situation, the leaders of Togo Phosphate SA threatened to sue in Lome and in Sydney, Australian Capital, Derek Lenartowicz and Sultan Corporation.

Meanwhile, the only specialist in phosphate in the Australian Jimmy Lee resigned. "Negotiations between the Australian mining company Sultan Corporation Ltd and the Togolese authorities for the granting of a license to use phosphate-free carbonate will be Jimmy Lee," reported AMI N ? 247 of March 3, 2011.

A tender to cover their tracks ...

It is in this hodgepodge of what took place the new call for tenders launched by the Togolese authorities. Once again, the very knowledgeable electronic journal (AMI N ? 255 of July 27, 2011) who gave the information: "As expected (MAI No. 251), a tender has finally been launched by the new society phosphate from Togo (SNPT), directed by Michel Abalo K?zi? for the allocation of resources in carbonate phosphates in the country. Discussions had exclusive, one time, begun with the Australian Sultan Corp ". Later, the information was confirmed by the Minister of Mines and Energy, Dammipi Noupokou, in an interview last Tuesday, August 9 at the government site "republicoftogo.com." "According to the strategy for reviving the phosphate sector adopted by the Government in 2010, the state of Togo has launched a tender for the licensing for the exploitation of phosphate carbonate. And indeed, the interest was strong from many international players in the mining sector, "he said. To the question: "Rumors say that the tender was a legal screen to assign licenses over the counter, including an Australian group. What? ", The Minister of Mines trying to reassure. "There was never any negotiations or discussions between a particular group pretenders to the operating license of phosphate. The best company to meet the requirements defined in the specifications will be retained by the experts required by the government in this regard ", he darted. These words are sincere? The question remains.

However, officials of Sultan Corporation Ltd, the Australian company in which the quarrel came, are optimistic about the outcome of this tender. "The company SULTAN Company International Minerals (ASX: SSC) (referred to as" Sultan "or the" Company ") is pleased to announce that it has submitted its tender dossier for the Phosphate Project in Togo in West Africa on time before the deadline of 1 August 2011. As previously announced, the Project is located in Togo, West Africa, not far from the capital Lome, and close to important infrastructure including a port facility located about 20 km south-west side. The project aims to achieve mineralization capacity of 2.0 to 2.1 billion tonnes grading ranging from 14.5 to 15.5% of P205 - the potential quantity and grade is made theoretical the explorations are insufficient to determine the mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration would result in its determination -. Discrete areas of the order of 80 to 100 million tonnes with the average capacity of 18 to 20% of P205 is available, "reads the website of the company.

In addition, the company Sultan Corporation Ltd reveals that she "was able to secure the support of many partners" third party "in connection with this tender and that, at all levels to learn the financial, technical , and marketing expertise. " Then comes the optimism displayed clearly: "The company is confident of having done so all it can in order to secure the rights to develop that asset. The evaluation procedure of the offer is pending, however, the Sultan company can not predict at this stage, no date for the conclusion. The Togolese government, we hope, will decide the choice of partner in a short or medium term to begin the work of the project. "

This article published on the website of the company is accompanied by two notes that are related to the above figures.

"The figures mentioned above are based on a detailed study of the phosphate deposits in Togo in March and April 2009. The Togolese Phosphates Office has the official figures. The study included:
a. Literature review of reports and records available.

b. Meetings in Lome the capital with senior SNPT (Soci?t? Nouvelle des Phosphates Togo) is the company of the State of Togo phosphate.

c. Review of operations at the site and discussions with senior Operations SNPT.

d. Visit in the mining and processing operations.

The official sections and plans of the levels of undeveloped areas were provided to Sultan. Usual partial methods were used to estimate the amount of mineral resources. It was possible to verify the content and the thickness of the selected mining areas and calculate areas, volumes and tons possible and compare them with official calculations of the Togolese State for the same areas.

Declaration of Experts: The information from this report relating to exploration results is based on information compiled by Mr. Kevin Alexander. M Kevin Alexander is employed on a full company Sultan. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. He has gained enough experience in this area of ​​significant mineralization and the activities it undertakes in order to become expert as defined in the "Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves", 2004 edition. Alexander agrees that data reports are included in the report in accordance with the form and substance. "
From all this, what justifies this confidence overflowing officials of Sultan Corporation Limited in the successful completion of this tender? Is the Togolese government itself would have prepared the whole file on behalf of Australian society? Who are they, these "multiple partners" third party "?" So many questions posed many observers of the business in Togo. "Knowing how the system works, it is possible that this tender has been launched just to appeal to donors so that the Togolese authorities have already borne their choice of Australian society. In this case, it is possible they are part of the main shareholders of this company. A kind of shell company that will allow some senior to get rich, "said a teacher at the University.

In addition, it raises the question of why officials of Sultan Corporation Ltd had access to this information. Have they not taken a lead over other contenders for the operating license of the phosphate? There is something wrong in this matter.

It also comes as Mr. Kevin Alexander has no specific experience in the field of phosphates. The expert was Jimmy Lee, who chose to resign.

To believe one expert, the 2 billion tons of phosphate carbonate at a rate of one million tonnes per year, will be used for 2000 years. The Togolese will he offer a contract for 20 centuries the company used? Question for many champions. But the indiscretions, the market capitalization of the Australian company which is between 7 and 10 billion FCFA, is small compared to tons forecast.

So what is happening with the project of exploitation of phosphates carbonated. He agrees that the Bretton Woods institutions following this issue closely for the same causes do not produce the same effects later. That's not transparency in the management of the OTP, the IFG and SNPT that sealed the Togolese economy. R. K?djagni

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