Côte d'Ivoire to boost manganese output to 1Mt within 3 years
miningweekly.com
By: Reuters
10th January 2014
LAUZOUA – Côte d'Ivoire aims to quadruple its manganese production to around one-million tonnes of ore within three years, boosted by new investments from the China National Geological and Mining Corporation (CGM), Ivorian State miner Sodemi said.
The West African nation, the world's top cocoa grower, is pushing to develop its long-neglected mining sector as part of efforts to diversify the economy as it recovers from a decade-long political crisis.
Having signed a partnership agreement with Sodemi in 2009, CGM has reopened the previously abandoned Lauzoua mine and in April last year extracted the first manganese, a metal used in the production of steel.
"The programme is to reach 300 000 t/y over the next two years then increase to 500 000 t/y," Kadjo Kouame, Sodemi's MD, told Reuters.
"This will allow us to reach one-million tonnes of manganese per year in total from all of Côte d'Ivoire's sites, placing us on the list of major producers," he said, adding that the additional production would come from new mines expected to come online over the next three years.
Kouame said Sodemi and CGM had already invested six-billion CFA francs ($12.44-million) in the Lauzoua mine, around 180 km west of the commercial capital Abidjan. Another three-billion CFA francs are due to be invested this year to purchase new equipment to improve productivity.
Regional neighbours Gabon and Ghana are among the world's top manganese producing countries.
However, Côte d'Ivoire has for decades largely ignored its mining potential in favour of agricultural commodities, which also include coffee and rubber, that make up the bulk of export earnings.
The country's sole manganese mine currently in operation - the Bondoukou project owned by India's Dharni Sampda Private Limited - produced around 250 000 t of ore in 2012.
The mine, near Côte d'Ivoire's eastern border with Ghana, holds 3.2-million tonnes of proven reserves.
The company has completed exploration at a second project at Ziemougoula in the country's northwest showing 3.3-million tonnes of proven reserves with an additional 3-million tonnes of probable reserves. However, Dharni Sampda is still awaiting an exploitation permit for the property.
Global crude steel production hit a record 1.548-billion tonnes in 2012, according to data from the World Steel Association, fuelling demand for manganese.
China was the top consumer and producer of steel with output for the year at 716.5-million tonnes. Kouame said Asian, and particularly Chinese, steel mills would be the primary destination for Ivorian manganese. |
