Lawmen raid illegal gold camps in Senegal

May 08, 2024 News

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– as new President tightens noose in mineral sector

Kaieteur News – Senegalese Police—gendarmerie—over the weekend with the support of its Sub-Immigration Support and Repression Group (GARSI), initiated measures to dismantle clandestine operations in that country’s gold fields, namely the, Kédougou region.

Predominantly managed by foreign nationals, particularly from neighbouring countries, these illicit gold panning sites often serve as hubs for various illicit activities including trafficking.

The move is in keeping with the promises of newly elected Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who on taking office had vowed to clamp down on the skullduggeries taking place in its oil and gas and mining sectors. To this, end reports indicate that in pursuit of organizing and regulating the gold panning industry within the Kédougou region, law enforcement officials, aided by GARSI targeted raids conducted in specific areas resulted in the closure of multiple clandestine sites.

Notably, the operation conducted on Saturday, May 4th, in the village of Bagué, situated in the commune of Missirah Sirimana, led to the seizure of several items including a generator, a motor pump, containers of gasoline, motorcycles, solar panels, a water pump, and a substantial quantity of narcotics. Law enforcement efforts remain ongoing across the Southeast zone.

According to reports, following the arrival of law enforcement personnel, illegal gold miners from Burkina Faso hastily vacated the premises, abandoning their equipment, and fleeing across the Malian border to seek refuge.

In a televised address to the Senegalese nation on his assumption of office Faye, immediately revealed plans for a comprehensive audit of the nation’s oil, gas, and mining sectors, and their terms and conditions under which they were handed out by his predecessor. In recent years this publication has reported on a plethora of shortcomings and exploitation in the sector, including those enshrined in the many contracts inked over the years.

Only recently, responding to concerns raised in relation to Canadian mining company, Reunion Gold Corporation selling 57 percent of its shares of its gold project for some US$638 million, days after disclosing the signing of a Mineral Agreement with the Government of Guyana (GoG) – Vice President (VP), Bharrat Jagdeo, has stated that ‘flipping’ is not unusual particularly in the mining industry and it is something the Government of Guyana (GoG) cannot prevent.

When asked about the announcement made by Reunion selling majority shares of its Oko West gold project located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), to fellow Canadian company, G Mining Ventures Corporation (GMIN), Jagdeo first noted that he was not aware of such a development. He continued, “I don’t know who is walking away with six-something but…remember we dealt with the issue of flipping…” the Vice President added, “I pointed out that this is not unusual in many parts of the world so I have no doubt that a company may be selling a project here.” There are, on the Ministry of Finance’s website, five mining contracts  namely: Aurora – Mineral Agreement; Guyana, GGMC and Reunion Manganese Inc. – Mineral Agreement; Guyana, GGMC, First Bauxite & Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc. – Mineral Agreement; Karouni – Mineral Agreement and Toroparu – Mineral Agreement.

An additional 13 Licences granted to the mining companies were also made public. These include Atlantic Golds Inc; Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. 2006; Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. 2010; Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. 2012; Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Inc. 03 2004; Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Inc. 04 2004; Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Inc. 05 2004; Guyana Goldfields Inc.; Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc.; Guyana Manganese Inc. ML 022022; Guyana Mining License G-1000 000; Ontario Mining License and Troy Resources Pharsalus.

The Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. holds three large-scale licences for the extraction of bauxite in Kurubuka (Block 22), North East (Block 5 in Kwakwani), Berbice (Block 38) for a total area of 16,691 acres, in which the Guyana Government has a state participation of 10% as confirmed by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).

Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Inc. holds three (3) large-scale licences for the extraction of bauxite in East Montgomery, Tailing area and Dacouria for a total area of 3,063 acres, in which the Guyana Government also has state participation of 30 percent as confirmed by NICIL. Correia Mining Co. holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold and diamonds for a total area of 3,681 acres. Guyana Goldfield Inc. holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold in Cuyuni (Aurora) for a total area of 14,339 acres while Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc. holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of bauxite in the Bonasika Mining project for a total area of 18,940 acres.

Additionally, North American Resources Incorporated Ltd. holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold for a total 5,950 acres. Pereira Mining Company holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold, silver, and valuable minerals for a total area of 5,105 acres. Meanwhile, Romanex Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold and valuable minerals for a total area of 11,110 acres; while Ontario Incorporated holds a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold and copper for a total area of 8,346 acres. Troy Resources Guyana also held a large-scale licence for the extraction of gold for a total area of 15,160 acres, they have since shuttered that Guyana operations.

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• Bonasika Mining, camps, Cuyuni, illegal, Senegal

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