On evaluation mission to East Region: Prof Fuh Calistus salutes work progress on Colomine Gold Mining Project.

Exchange of ideas at site

The member of government made the remark while on an evaluation mission of the construction of a gold ore processing plant in the locality of Colomine, on Tuesday December 12.    
The evaluation visit took place in the presence of the Governor of the East Region, Gregoire Mvongo, municipal and other administrative authorities of the area. 
The industrial exploitation of the small-scale gold mine in Colomine is being implemented by the Colomine Mining Corporation SA, COMINCOR, which is subsidiary of the Cameroonian gold mining company, Codias SA. 
During the evaluation mission, the interim MINMIDT boss, accompanied by his Director of Mines, Mimbang Aristide, first visited the gold extraction site and later the gold processing or treatment plant.

Visiting project sites
The minister was led through the different stages of the site by the President General of Codias S.A, Hon Bonaventure Assam Mvondo.  
During the visit, the minister and his entourage were visibly satisfied with the progress made on the gold processing plant under construction, although the treatment of gold ore via physical means were ongoing at the site since February 06, 2023 when the first production was officially launched.
Speaking to the press at the end of the visit, Prof Fuh Calistus said: “We have seen a lot of investment here in terms of equipment but the method of separation is physical. We have seen the crushers, and the rest”.
Expressing his satisfaction, the interim mines minister declared that: “The Colomine project has already started and I am so happy with the enthusiasm Cameroonians have with the mining industry. The vision of the Head of State that we should change from a potential nation to a nation of production, is being followed both by the administration and the enthusiastic population”. 
Speaking about his mission, he said his presence is to ensure that in the technical details of the project, all is being respected even as there are plans to improve the current systems being used with the goal of ensuring the best recovery of gold, increase in production and improving state revenue.

Presents second phase of project
According to the minister, in order to attain the objective of the mining sector, there is need for the Colomine gold mining project to move from the current phase of the project to a second phase via the use of the close mining system. 
In his presentation, he said the phase two of the project will entail the deployment of the Cyanidation carbon leaching process, also known as CIL/CIP Gold Processing plant, which has the capacity of processing about 120 tonnes per day. 
Citing the examples of other advanced nations of mineral producing countries like Brazil and China, Prof Fuh Calistus said most gold mine owners prefer this system as it has better recovery rate and is more inclusive of the properties of different gold mines.  
“We want to change to this system where the separation will be environmentally friendly and the separation will also increase the amount of gold recovered. It will also increase how much ore is treated a day and this means that state revenue will increase,” he explained. 
He further assured that with the new system, the gold produced will be more secured. 
“After our mission will come back from Brazil, this company will be making a schedule probably next year to migrate to this new method,” he added.
The CIP Gold Processing plant, which is in a form of chain system, has various units including vibrating feeder, jaw crusher, cone crusher, electro-vibrating feeder, product bin, ball mill, hydro-cyclone, slurry pump, drum screen, thickener, leaching tanks, air pumps, filter press and a gold purification and smelting system. 
Quizzed on how long it would take for the new treatment plant method to be established, the minister assured that, “it can be done between six months to one year”.
“As soon as the manufacturers finish, they will install it and train people here to operate it,” the minister added.

More job creation
According to the minister, once the new system of gold treatment method is establish under the second phase of the project, it will benefit the surrounding population and the country’s youth beyond the area.  
“Job creation is more assured through this type of regular methods than children going to wash what has been left over and they find almost nothing because the method of extraction is not good,” he said. 
The university professor affirmed that “we are moving into a revolutionary method where jobs will be created, income will be increased and security of the environment is assured”.  
He then specified that “even in a project of this nature, we have heard that about 500 jobs will be available and 1,500 indirect jobs will be available”. 
The modern methods, is expected to be established after an understudy visit to first China and later Brazil, by a team of mining actors from Cameroon”.

Visit after call for synergy amongst mining stakeholders
The inspection visit came barely days after the Speaker of the National Assembly, Rt Hon Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, reiterated the call for all concerned ministries and stakeholders of the mining sector, to work together to bring to reality the vision of a mineral producing and exporting country under the New Deal. 
The Speaker had reiterated the appeal while closing the November Session of Parliament for the year 2023. 
In line with this, the minister said the different mining projects in the country, such as the Kribi-Lobe and Bipindi-Grand Zambi, as well as the Mbalam iron ore, projects are advancing. 
For the country to reap the benefits of these projects, the minister said the appeal from the National Assembly must be heeded and is in line with the Head of State’s vision. 
“When we don’t work as a team, it will delay a lot of projects. The President of the Republic has sounded the alarm and I think that everybody knows that Cameroon is no more a country of potential, Cameroon is going to export iron ore from next year and Cameroon is already producing gold,” Prof Fuh averred.  
He added that: “Last week, we were in Congo with the Minister of Transport and today we are here. By next week we will be back to launch the Mbalam Project where the mineral will start being stockpiled. From there, we will be going to China to conclude some arrangements”.