Huge breakthrough for mining sector.

The treatment plant, located at the Zopang mining site, was inaugurated by the Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Prof Fuh Calistus Gentry, last Friday April 5.

This was in the presence of the Governor of the East Region, Gregoire Mvongo and a host of administrative, municipal, traditional authorities as well as the general population of the area. 

In his inaugural speech, the minister said the new system for processing mineral gravel in isolation, will drastically change the precarious situation prevailing in the East and Adamawa Regions as well as reduce the environmental footprint of mining activities.

While highlighting the advantages of the new system, which is anticipated to change the landscape of semi-mechanised mining in Cameroon, Prof Fuh Calistus indicated that production yields will significantly improve to over 90%, increasing Cameroon’s gold reserves and safeguarding the State’s interests, through increased collection of synthetic mining tax. 

He added that the new system will equally ensure “greater transparency through the meeting of all stakeholders when the system is opened up and actual production is recorded; and limiting the accidental discharge of effluents into the environment”.

New system in line with Head of State’s vision

According to the member of government, the newly commissioned processing plant is in perfect fit with the vision of the President of the Republic, who has identified solid mining, and gold in particular as exceptional niche for financial resources.

He indicated that a second inauguration of a closed operating system, designed by a French company, is scheduled for the weeks ahead, while a third inauguration of similar system designed by a Canadian company is expected in June 2024.

“It will therefore no longer be possible for an operator to be issued with a semi-mechanised mining licence without having made arrangements for the installation of the closed mining system,” he added. 

The MINMIDT boss then exhorted all operators in the sector to comply with this new requirement within the next six months as it will be in their own interest to do so and in accordance with the innovation in the new Mining Code of December 19, 2023. 

Closed-system gold processing plant explained

 According to the Technical Director of Codias SA, Sa’a Bertrand, the newly commissioned gold treatment unit is fully automated, with four 750 kVa generators using diesel with an average daily consumption 3,000 litres.

In terms of water usage, he said the closed-loop treatment system is supplied by water pumped from the watercourse and from three water supply boreholes drilled on site.

“In more technical terms, the closed-loop treatment system installed here has a maximum treatment capacity of 500 tonnes of ore per day,” Sa’a told The Guardian Post. 

The system is made up of several units such as a crushing and screening unit, classifying and crushing unit, and gravity concentration unit. 

The Codias official stated that: “The processing system has a number of advantages, including the ability to process low-grade ores (less than 1g/tonne) and increase production output: full autonomy of the entire production chain with equipment that can be regulated directly by the operator; the ability to process a larger quantity of mineral, in less time and at lower cost; the reduction of production losses”.

“We can recover almost 95% of the gold contained in the rock; and protect the environment, because the mercury used at the end of the washing process to amalgamate or concentrate the gold is not dumped into nature, but is fully recovered,” the technical director pronounced.

He equally expressed the company’s gratitude to government for supporting them in implementing the different projects in Colomine and Batouri.

Mayor hails initiative

For his part, the mayor of Kette, Gbanga Emmanuel, saluted the initiative by the companies concerned as it will not only profit the companies and government, but also the local population whose environment will be safeguarded. 

He then mentioned that following a meeting in Yaounde, involving mayors of the East and Adamawa Regions and mining operators, 8 out 54 social projects selected for his area have been carried out while others are progressing. 

“On September 29, 2023, in Batouri, under the supervision of your General Secretary, 54 social projects in the council area of Kétté, for the benefit of local populations were selected; for a total cost of 235,140,000 FCFA,” the mayor told the minister.

He mentioned that the projects included grading of road, construction and equipping of classrooms in some schools, street lighting in some villages, construction of boreholes and sheds in some traditional chiefdoms.