Adamawa Region: State grants operation licence for bauxite exploitation in Minim-Martap.

The mining permit which will enable the mining of bauxite and its local transformation, was handed over to the lead company in charge of the project, CAMALCO company, a subsidiary of Canyon Resources.

The presidential authorisation was handed over to officials of the company by the Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, MINMIDT, Prof Fuh Calistus Gentry. 

This was during an audience the member of government granted CAMALCO Director General, Rana Pratap Singh, on Friday, September 13.

This was in the presence of the Director General of Canyon Resources, Jean Sebastien Boutet and the Fortuna Holdings SFO Country Head for Cameroon, Anshum Khandelwal. 

Gov’t maximizing high mineral potential to spur dev’t

Speaking to the press shortly after the symbolic meeting, the member of government said the mining permit granted by decree N0:2024/382 of 2 September 2024, marks a historic milestone in the life of the mining project and for Cameroon whose aim is to maximise its high mineral potential to spur development. 

“This is a historic event and we want to thank the President of the Republic for the particular attention he has paid to this project that today, after a few weeks signing the mining convention, we have the mining lease,” the minister said. 

He also outlined a clear chronogramme of activities of the project have been agreed by all parties. He mentioned the determination to strictly follow the activities, starting with the laying of the foundation stone scheduled for 2025.

“We have put up a very strict chronogramme of activities to be followed and we are happy to announced that next year there will be the laying of the foundation stone for the mining part of this project. Two years after, there will be the beginning of the transformation of bauxite to alumina and in between these phases, aspects related to energy, transportation to the port will be filled,” Prof Fuh Calistus explained. 

With the foundation stone for the transformation unit plant planned to be laid in 2027, he enlightened that the Minim-Martap bauxite project has multi-sectoral components which include energy, transport, logistics, public works with road projects, mining, and industry. 

“We are also pleased to say that we are in serious negotiation with the company so that at the launch of the phase next year, we want to see hundreds of jobs given to the Cameroonian youth,” Prof Fuh revealed, before adding that “the company has promised that jobs will be created from next year as far as the mining phase is concerned”. 

Cameroon setting pace for other African countries

Going by the member of government, CAMALCO will join forces with her affiliated company, Canyon Resources, and its strategic partner, Fortuna Holdings, for the realisation of this landmark project not just in Cameroon but in Africa.

The realisation of the project will see Cameroon become the first on the continent with a complete value chain in bauxite. 

“Cameroon will be about the first in Africa to have a complete value chain from bauxite to alumina to aluminium and aluminium to finished projects we have prolure. So, we are taking our rightful place in the continent to orientate industry,” the minister declared. 

Enter CAMALCO DG 

On his part, the CAMALCO DG, Rana Pratap, expressed gratitude to the President of the Republic, the minister and his team as well as other stakeholders for their support and cooperation in achieving the milestone of getting the mining permit.

He then pledged on behalf of the three partnering companies, to comply strictly with the obligations and deadlines set out in the mining permit. 

The CAMALCO boss affirmed that the historic mining permit will not only kickstart their activities but also offers beneficial socio-economic spin-offs for the local populations in particular and Cameroon in general in accordance with the new mining code.

“This mining permit gives us the legal authority to start mining and we will be starting the mining very soon,” Rana Pratap began, adding that priority during recruitment of staff will be Cameroonians. 

“We will be investing in their training and skill development. We will be investing equally in mining equipment and we will be training the locals in operating the equipment and managing the mines,” Rana Pratap told the press. 

Boosting revenue

Besides employment of Cameroonian youth, the CAMALCO boss pointed that the Minim-martap bauxite project also comes to boost government’s revenue through various commitment outlined in the Mining Convention in form of royalties and taxes. 

“We also believe that once this project takes off, we will have our camp there and the town will be developing as a mining industrial town with not just direct but also indirect employment. Many workshops and secondary enterprises will be developing in and around that area in addition to several job opportunities,” he assured.

It is worth noting that the signing of the mining permit and handing over to the companies comes after the signing of the Mining Convention for the Minim-Martap bauxite project also in Yaounde. 

It was signed last July 30 by the interim MINMIDT boss, Prof Fuh Calistus Gentry, and the CAMALCO DG, Rana Pratap Singh.

The signing ceremony was attended by the Ministers of Employment and Vocational Training, Issa Tchiroma Bakari; of State Properties, Survey and Land Tenure, Henri Ayeba Ayissi; Minister Delegate at the Minister of Finance, Yaouba Abdoulaye; the General Manager of Cameroon Telecommunications, CAMTEL, Judith Yah Sunday.   

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3231 of Monday September 16, 2024