- Mining in Equatorial Guinea
The regulation of
mining inEquatorial Guinea is handled by the Ministry of Mines, Industry, and Energy, which oversees activities in the mining andpetroleum industries.cite web|url= http://www.equatorialoil.com/pdfs/EQG%20Brochure%20August%202005.pdf
title=Hydrocarbons and Mining in Equatorial Guinea |publisher=Ministry of Mines, Industry, and Energy |accessdate=2008-05-01]Petroleum exploration and production is the core of Equatorial Guinea's economy, and accounts for over 90 percent of Equatorial Guinea's national income. As a result, little attention has been given to exploring and making use of the country's
mineral resources; There is no commercial mining, although there are minorgold mining operations.cite web|url= http://www.mbendi.co.za/indy/ming/af/eq/p0005.htm
title=Equatorial Guinea: Mining |publisher=MBendi |accessdate=2008-05-01] The Equatoguinean government has conducted preliminary explorations that they believe show potential mining opportunities fordiamond s andcoltan .null] , and the Ministry of Mines is now promoting the country's mining potential in hopes of attracting investorsnull]Historically, the peoples of Equatorial Guinea produced gold and
iron before being colonized by Spain. During colonial rule, there were no commercial mining operations. Following independence in 1968, Soviet and French geologists found potential deposits of gold,bauxite ,tin ,tungsten , andcoltan . Additional surveys conducted by GEMSA, a Spanish-Equatoguinean joint venture, and UMCEG (Ocean Energy, previously named United Meridian Corporation) performed airborne and land surveys, as well as the creation of GIS databases.null] cite web|url= http://www.miningreview.com/archive/032/34_1.htm
title=Mining Review Africa |publisher=Spintelligent (Pty) Ltd |accessdate=2008-05-01]The government claims ownership of all mineral resources, and regulates them under law 9/2006 (replacing the former Mining Law, 9/1981).cite web|url= http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/2006/myb3-2006-ek.pdf
title=2006 Minerals Yearbook: Equatorial Guinea |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=2008-05-01]Gold
Artisan s usingplacer mining techniques retrieve gold from rivers inRio Muni , primarily the areas of Cogo,Aconibe andMongomo . The Equatoguinean government believes that at least 2.3 tons of gold were collectively produced from these small operations.null]In 2006, the
United States Geological Survey reported that about 200 kg of gold were produced in Equatorial Guinea.null]Diamond
Indicators of
diamond deposits inGabon extend to the southern border of Rio Muni, and the Equatoguinean government believes surveys may show the potential for diamond deposits in southeastern Rio Muni.null] null]Coltan
The government reports that evidence of the presence of
coltan (columbite -tantalite , atantalum ore) has been found nearAconibe andAkamiken . Very little exploration work has been performed in these areas, however.null]External links
* [http://www.equatorialoil.com/ Ministry of Mines, Industry, and Energy] (English)
References
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