Mining – Minimum production threshold: comply or leave

There is no artisanal mining beyond a depth of 30 metres. Beyond this threshold, a transition to industrial mining or small-scale mining becomes mandatory. Such was the directive issued this Tuesday, April 28, to the company Xin Yang, which operates a gold site in Ketté.

As part of his crackdown mission aimed at the complete restructuring of Cameroon’s semi-mechanised artisanal mining sector, Professor FUH CALISTUS GENTRY has put an end to illegal operations, imposing a non-negotiable minimum production threshold of 5 kilograms.

The first company visited, Xin Yang, which operates 24 “bold” units on its site, agreed to a minimum production threshold of 7 kilograms of gold per month, failing which its installations will be dismantled and its equipment immediately seized.

Further along, Zinnarry Mining, which operates 10 “bold” units, will now be required to ensure a minimum monthly production of 5 kilograms of gold, with no possibility of downward revision.

The Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development reaffirmed that this measure will increase Cameroon’s annual gold production fivefold and reduce the gap between produced and declared gold. It is now time for this activity to truly benefit the country.

It should be recalled that compliance with the minimum production threshold is one of four strict requirements for operating within the semi-mechanised artisanal mining sector. These are complemented by:

– compliance with environmental obligations, including the payment of a security deposit of 63 million CFA francs for 21 hectares;

– compliance with tax obligations;

– and technological innovation, notably the full transition to a closed-loop operating system within the shortest possible timeframe.

This second day of dismantling operations in the Kadey Division confirms that the awareness campaign initiated by Professor FUH CALISTUS GENTRY has yielded results, particularly through companies’ commitment to sign agreements on minimum production thresholds, based on the number of “bold” units on their sites, as well as their transition to a closed-circuit operating system within six months.