REPUBLIC OF GABON
‐‐‐‐‐
MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND MINES
Gabon: Land of Sustainable
Mining Opportunities
MINING INDABA 2014
GABON
Introductory Facts and Figures
• Regional location: Central Africa
• Area: 267 667 km²
• Capital city: Libreville
• Population: 1.5 million
• Official Language: French
• Number of provinces: 9
• Neighbouring countries: Cameroon (North East), Equatorial Guinea
(North West), Democratic Republic of the Congo (East and South)
• 800 kms of coastline (Atlantic Ocean)
• More than 80% of the country is covered with forest.
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
3
The Mining Sector in the Gabonese
Economy
• 80% of the Gabonese economy depends on mineral resources:
hydro­carbons (oil), timber and mining.
• Oil revenues represent more than 60% of GDP, while the mining sector
only accounts for 4% of the country’s GDP.
• Gabon is the 2nd world producer of manganese and has a rich subsoil
in terms of resources (iron, gold, phosphate, uranium, niobium...).
The National Industrialization Strategy was finalized in 2013 by the Ministry
of Industry and Mines. It defines the strategic orientations and objectives
to increase the local transformation of Gabon’s natural resources.
Developing “Industrial Gabon” is a core part of the Strategic Plan for an
Emerging Gabon, the reference document articulating the vision of His
Excellency Ali BONGO ONDIMBA, President of the Republic, Head of State.
The ambition of the Industrialization Strategy is thus to position the mining
sector as a key pillar of the Gabonese economy, through:
• Diversification of the mining production (manganese, iron, gold, rare
metals...),
• Optimization of local added­value,
• Sustainable resource management.
4
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
5
Gabon:
Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
Investing in Gabon is an investment in a country of peace and legendary
stability with legal protection of investments, guaranteed by the country’s
accession to major international agreements and conventions.
The Ministry of Industry and Mines (MIMI) is currently seeking expressions
of interest by reputable international operators in the sector to:
• partner in the various mining projects,
• design and build the required infrastructure.
1. Belinga: the next world­class iron deposit
6
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
HISTORY
• Historical works by Bethlehem Steel, SOCOMINE and BRGM (1953 to
1987),
• Geological and sampling works by CVRD (2005),
• Concession to CMEC­COMIBEL (2008),
• Total of 247 drill holes (15 226 m) and 51 crosscuts.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
• New access road
• 2012 Q3: compilation of historical data, international consortium for the
Belinga’s resources certification (Ministry of Industry and Mines +
international consortium including Heenan Blaikie, TGM, Equateur Int.)
• 2013 Q1: contract awarded to SRK
• 2013 Q4: COMIBEL buy back negotiations
• 2014: value­adding studies by international independent bodies to
structure the project: transport infrastructures (railways, harbour),
energy infrastructures.
GEOLOGY
• A large Archean
greenstone
belt
hosting a mafic unit,
volcano­sedimentary
bimodal series with
a large BIF unit and
a late conglomerate,
• Mineralizations in­
clude iron, gold,
nickel, chrome and
PGE.
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
7
8
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
IRON MINERALIZATIONS
• Five ore bodies with grade > 61% Fe: Babiel, Okoumé, Bakota,
Bakoulé, and Mobo,
• Babiel is the priority target with two types of ore: hard itabirite
(55­62.5 % Fe) and soft itabirite (>62.5 % Fe, DSO),
• Resources evaluation of two zones.
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
9
2. Investment Opportunities in Gold Mining and
Exploration
MAIN AREAS OF SMALL­SCALE GOLD MINING ACTIVITIES
More than 350 occurrences are reported throughout the country.
Small­scale gold mining activities are well­established and
small­scale mining sites are disseminated all over the country.
• The main areas of small­scale mining activities include
ETEKE, KOLISSEN, NDJOLE, NKAN, MONT DE CRISTAL,
MEBAGA­NGAMA, TSENKELE, MAYE­BOUTH, NDANGUI and
LONGO.
• One industrial project began in 2011, developed by MANAGEM,
a Moroccan company.
• The main activities are focused on exploration by junior mining
operators, but many prospective areas are still available, as
exploration targets.
GEOLOGY
Primary deposits can be classified into three groups according to
geological features:
• the Archean mineralizations closely associated with greenstone
belts,
• the mineralizations associated with palaeproterozoic
sediments related to the Ogooue orogeny, as well as with the
remobilised Archean rocks,
• the mineralizations hosted by neoproterzoic sediments
affected by the panafrican orogeny.
10
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
GENERATION OF NEW EXPLORATION TARGETS
Seven areas with a total of 23 400 km² were covered by stream
sampling during the last exploration programs from 2006 to 2009
(one sample per square kilometer). Since then, 22 109 stream
samples have been taken and 21 752 samples have been parsed.
Two kinds of analysis have been undertaken:
• gold analysis, with a detection limit at 2 ppb,
• analysis of 46 elements by ICP.
Mineral occurrences, as well as the most favourable zones for the
presence of mineralizations, are available in databases, and can
be accessed by mining operators.
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
11
3. Investment Opportunities in Manganese
Total manganese ore production in Gabon including sinter was 3.7
mil­ lion metric tons (Mt) in 2013, which means that the country is
ranked among the world’s three leading producers of high­grade
ore. The forecast production for 2014 is 4 Mt. .
GEOLOGY
The manganese mineralizations are related to the Palaeoproterozoic
intracratonic basins dated from 2.1 to 2.3 Ga. The areas where
manganese deposits are reported are Franceville, Okondja, Akieni,
Lastoursville, Ndjolé and Mbigou.
MAIN MANGANESE MINING PROJECTS
• Manganese ore has been produced in the Moanda mines since
1962 and shipped 650 km via the Transgabonais railway to the
Owendo port in Libreville.
• In 2012, a 2nd manganese mining operation, owned by the
Chinese group CITIC Dameng, was started in Ndjolé.
• The project in Franceville was taken over from BHP Billiton by
the Government and sold to an Indian company. This will be the
3rd manganese operation in the country by early 2014.
• The Eramet­Comilog’s ferroalloys plant is planned to start
activities during the 1st quarter of the year 2014.
Some interesting opportunities are still available for exploration
companies.
12
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
4. Investment Opportunities in Rare Earth Metals
Among the rare earth metal deposits detected in Gabon, there
are those related to the complex alkali and those discovered by
placer exploration. The former were discovered through airborne
geophysical campaigns. Below, two complexes are described:
the carbonatite of Mabounié and the syenite of Ngoutou.
THE CARBONATITE COMPLEX OF MABOUNIE
The carbonatite complex of Mabounié, dated to 660 +/­ 13 Ma, is
located 40 km southeast of Lambaréné. It is intrusive into the
migmatitic basement dated to the middle protorozoic, on which
it developed a fenitization aureole. Directly below this alkaline
complex developed an important weathering profile at the
origin of the residual enrichment of Phosphate, Niobium and Rare
Earth Metals.
Resources are estimated at about 4.1 Mt of rare earth metals, 20.7
Mt of phosphate P2O5, 2.7 Mt of niobium and 70 kt of tantale. The
mining certification of this deposit for its exploitation is currently
underway.
THE SYENITE COMPLEX OF NGOUTOU
This is one of the most promising projects in terms of potential
rare earth metal deposits after Mabounié. It is contemporary to
the sedimentary “Francevillien” series and covers an area of
approximately 300 km². The heart of this complex consists of
alkaline syenite intrusions and microgranites. Available data
revealed some interesting anomalies in yttrium and other
elements such as molybdenum, uranium and niobium.
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
13
OTHER RADIOMETRIC ANOMALIES
Other deposits were discovered across the territory, under the
component "Airborne Geophysics" of the SYSMIN program. There
is an opportunity to better recognize them through exploration.
ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS
The alluvial prospecting revealed the presence, in all concentrates,
of monazite and xenotime associated with grades ranging
between 7 g/m3 to 400g/m3. Possible metallotects of these rare
earth metal deposits can be granites, pegmatites, veins etc.
14
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
5. Developing the Potential of Diamonds
Diamond occurrences are very numerous in Gabon and are spread
over a large part of the country.
The first diamonds were found in the auriferous gravels of the
Eteke region in 1938. From 1945, systematic prospecting led to the
discovery of placers in the South of the country. Many years of
kimberlite exploration by some companies such as Soredia or
Cogema did not lead to any encouraging results. Only after 1999
was a Canadian company (Southern Era) successful in its research
(after 6 years of kimberlite research) and discovered 14 outcrops
of meta­kimberlites around the village of Makongonio.
Only 4 meta­kimberlites were tested for diamonds, by crushing
50 tons of each kimberlite, but no diamonds were found. Reasons
explaining this absence of results might be the inefficiency of the
crushing system or the low quantity of kimberlite, because the
normal diamond test needs 100 tons for each kimberlite.
Many diamonds are still discovered by artisanal workers, in the
gravel, close to these meta­kimberlites.
The license for this area has not yet been granted to any company.
Therefore, Gabon is looking for investors to undertake new tests
on these meta­kimberlites.
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
15
6. Opportunities in corundum: high quality stones –
awaiting confirmation of minable potential
In the center of the degree square
12°/+0°, gravels have been reported as
containing up to 5kg/m3 of corundum
(Baud, 1966). More to the East, in
the degree square 13°/+0°, a more im­
portant alluvial occurrence, containing
up to 7kg/m3, has been prospected by
auger drilling; this revealed corundum
in a saprolite derived from a leucocratic
biotite gneiss (Aguillaume et al., 1978).
In the southern part of the degree
square 12°/­1°, corundum has been
observed in rock near Dienga and
Bitolo, practically on the border with
the Congo. The occurrences comprise
corundum pegmatites and syenites
(Labbé et al. 1988).
An alluvial deposit has been described
to the North of the Waka diamond
zone (northeast quarter of the degree
square 10°/­1°). The corundum is white,
pink, purple and blue, and seems to
originate from granulite (Rouquette,
1944). Grades can reach 4kg/m3 and the
resources have been estimated at 12t of
corundum.
In the Eteke area (degree square 11°/­1°),
gem­quality corundum, colorless to
yellow, has been observed in the
auriferous alluvials.
16
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
7. Mineral potential for other commodities
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME EXPLORATION PROJECTS FOR OTHER METALS
Many occurrences of other metals were identified, such as:
• Platinoïdes;
• Nickel, chrome;
• Copper, lead, zinc;
• Silver;
• Niobium;
• Uranium.
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
17
AWARDING OF MINING LICENCES IN GABON
AWARDING OF MINING LICENCES IN GABON
MINING
ACTS
CHARACTERISTICS OF
MINING CODE
INNOVATIONS OF NEW MINING
CODE PROJECT
Recognition
authorization
- Two years validity;
- Granted by the Minister
of Mines;
- Non-exclusive conferred
rights;
- Minimum area: 20 000
km2.
- One-year validity.
1. Improvement of awarding procedures
and securization of licences :
Exploration
licence
- Three-year validity,
renewable twice;
- Minimum area: 1000
km2;
- Maximum area: 20 000
km2.
- Granted by decrees by
the President of the
Republic upon proposal
of the Minister of Mines;
- Tax system: the holders
of licences and their
subcontractors are
exempted from the
following taxes, rights
and fees: VAT,
corporate tax, the fixed
minimum tax, the
contribution of franchise
taxes, land taxes and
registration fees on the
acts of capital increase
and on the professional
leases.
- Transferable and
negotiable licence.
- The awarding of the exploration
licence falls within the exclusive
abilities of the Minister of Mines;
- The state has an obligation of
diligence and transparency of
procedures in licence awarding;
- Awarding deadlines are reduced in
the mining code;
- Inviolability of any regularly awarded
mining licence.
2. Adapted to the reality of the mining
sector:
- Continuation of the last validity period
of the research licence for the
necessary duration of the deposit’s
evaluation.
3. Standardization of mining contract:
- Standard contract of mining exploration;
- Standard contract of mine.
4. Free of tax:
- Tax-free throughout operating and
development phases.
18
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
Mining
licence
Mining
Concession
- Ten-year validity,
renewable as
necessary;
- Granted by decrees
by the President of
the Republic upon
proposal of the
Minister of Mines;
- An Impact
Assessment (EIA), a
public inquiry and a
feasibility study are
required prior to
allocation of the
licence;
- Exclusive conferred
rights;
- Transferable and
negotiable licence.
- Twenty –five-year
validity, renewable as
necessary;
- Granted by decrees
by the President of
the Republic upon
proposal of the
Minister of Mines;
- An Impact
Assessment (EIA), a
public inquiry and a
feasibility study are
required prior to
allocation of the
licence;
- Exclusive conferred
rights;
- Transferable and
transmittable licence;
- Licence susceptible to
mortgage.
1. Securization of investment :
- The delivery of business licence
or the mining franchise entitles
the State to introduce the
expropriation procedure for the
sake of public interest regarding
zones covered by the corresponding
licences.
2. Possibility of public-private
partnership:
- For deposits discovered by the
State, the State has the power to
run them in partnership with a
mining company .
3. Tax holiday:
- Tax holiday for the first five years
following the beginning of mining
operation;
- For mining projects whose
duration is shorter or equal to 10
years, tax holiday cannot exceed
3 years;
- For the big mining projects
whose duration is superior or
equal to 20 years, a 5-year tax
holiday can be extended to three
more years;
- Additional tax incentive for big
mining projects according to
economic model of the project.
4. Investment protection :
- Stabilization of the tax and
customs system is guaranteed
to the holders of licences.
Gabon: Land of Sustainable Mining Opportunities
19
Ministère de l’Industrie et des Mines du Gabon
Immeuble du 2 Décembre
Boulevard Triomphal Omar Bongo
B.P. 874 Libreville (GABON)
Telephone: (241)01744783
Mail: [email protected]