Mining in The Gambia
Encyclopedia
Mining
in The Gambia
, which is limited to the production of clay
, laterite
, sand and gravel, silica sand, and zircon
, does not play a significant role in the Gambian economy.
, including free repatriation
of capital
and profits, special investment certificates, and constitutional guarantees and safeguards against nationalization
and expropriation
of investments.
with Astron
of China (50%) held an exclusive prospecting license for the Batukunku, the Kartung
, and the Sanyang mineral sands deposits in Brufut
. In 2005, the joint venture completed a second-round trial dredge
program at the deposit. Following the completion of this dredge program and of an environmental impact assessment
study, the company submitted an application to convert its prospecting license to a mining lease. As of the end of 2005, CCL continued to wait for Government approval. As of 2005, total measured, indicated, and inferred resources at the Batukunku, the Kartung, and the Sanyang deposits were estimated to be 18.8 million metric tons (Mt) that contained approximately one Mt of heavy minerals at a cutoff grade of 1%. The heavy-mineral
assemblage for these deposits was estimated to be about 71% ilmenite
, 15% zircon
, 3% rutile
, and 11% other.
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
in The Gambia
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
, which is limited to the production of clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
, laterite
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
, sand and gravel, silica sand, and zircon
Zircon
Zircon is a mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates. Its chemical name is zirconium silicate and its corresponding chemical formula is ZrSiO4. A common empirical formula showing some of the range of substitution in zircon is 1–x4x–y...
, does not play a significant role in the Gambian economy.
Legal framework
The Department of State for Trade, Industry, and Employment is the government entity responsible for the administration of the mining sector. A new mineral and mining law proposed in 2001 was still under consideration for approval by the Government as of 2005. The government has put in place policies to attract foreign direct investmentForeign direct investment
Foreign direct investment or foreign investment refers to the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor.. It is the sum of equity capital,other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in...
, including free repatriation
Repatriation
Repatriation is the process of returning a person back to one's place of origin or citizenship. This includes the process of returning refugees or soldiers to their place of origin following a war...
of capital
Financial capital
Financial capital can refer to money used by entrepreneurs and businesses to buy what they need to make their products or provide their services or to that sector of the economy based on its operation, i.e. retail, corporate, investment banking, etc....
and profits, special investment certificates, and constitutional guarantees and safeguards against nationalization
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
and expropriation
Confiscation
Confiscation, from the Latin confiscatio 'joining to the fiscus, i.e. transfer to the treasury' is a legal seizure without compensation by a government or other public authority...
of investments.
Mining
As of 2005, Carnegie Corporation Ltd. (CCL) of Australia (50%) in joint ventureJoint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
with Astron
Astron Ltd
Astron Ltd is a Chinese-based manufacturer and distributor of zirconium-based chemicals. The business was founded by current-CEO and majority-shareholder Alex Brown. As of January 2007, the company had a market capitalisation of cA$150m ....
of China (50%) held an exclusive prospecting license for the Batukunku, the Kartung
Kartung
Kartung or Kartong is a coastal village in south-western Gambia on the border with Senegal. It is located approximately 60 kilometres from Banjul and 9.5 kilometres from Gunjur. It is located in Kombo South District in the Western Division...
, and the Sanyang mineral sands deposits in Brufut
Brufut
Brufut is a town located in the Western Division of The Gambia. The town of Brufut is situated a couple of kilometres inland from the costal road, but the name Brufut is applied to an area extending from around the town, out to the coast. It has a main street with a market, and some government...
. In 2005, the joint venture completed a second-round trial dredge
Dredge
Dredging is an excavation activity or operation usually carried out at least partly underwater, in shallow seas or fresh water areas with the purpose of gathering up bottom sediments and disposing of them at a different location...
program at the deposit. Following the completion of this dredge program and of an environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
study, the company submitted an application to convert its prospecting license to a mining lease. As of the end of 2005, CCL continued to wait for Government approval. As of 2005, total measured, indicated, and inferred resources at the Batukunku, the Kartung, and the Sanyang deposits were estimated to be 18.8 million metric tons (Mt) that contained approximately one Mt of heavy minerals at a cutoff grade of 1%. The heavy-mineral
Heavy mineral
In geology, a heavy mineral is one with a density that is greater than 2.9 g/cm3, most commonly referring to dense components of siliciclastic sediments. A heavy mineral suite is the relative percentages of heavy minerals in a stone. Heavy mineral suites are used to help determine the origins and...
assemblage for these deposits was estimated to be about 71% ilmenite
Ilmenite
Ilmenite is a weakly magnetic titanium-iron oxide mineral which is iron-black or steel-gray. It is a crystalline iron titanium oxide . It crystallizes in the trigonal system, and it has the same crystal structure as corundum and hematite....
, 15% zircon
Zircon
Zircon is a mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates. Its chemical name is zirconium silicate and its corresponding chemical formula is ZrSiO4. A common empirical formula showing some of the range of substitution in zircon is 1–x4x–y...
, 3% rutile
Rutile
Rutile is a mineral composed primarily of titanium dioxide, TiO2.Rutile is the most common natural form of TiO2. Two rarer polymorphs of TiO2 are known:...
, and 11% other.