IVORY COAST: The country plans to increase its manganese output, aiming to become of the world's top producers of the mineral, an important metal for the production of steel

Record ID: 182400

  • Title: IVORY COAST: The country plans to increase its manganese output, aiming to become of the world's top producers of the mineral, an important metal for the production of steel
  • Date: 16th January 2014
  • Summary: LAUZOUA, IVORY COAST (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MANGANESE MINE VARIOUS OF CONVEYOR BELT TRANSPORTING MANGANESE VARIOUS OF MINE WORKERS SORTING THROUGH PILE OF MANGANESE ORE VARIOUS OF MANGANESE MINE SITE/MINE WORKERS SORTING MANGANESE ON CONVEYOR BELT MANGANESE ON CONVEYOR BELT TRUCKS CARRYING MANGANESE (SOUNDBITE) (French) KADJO KOUAME, DIRECTOR GENERAL, SODEMI, SAYING: "The programme in 2014 is to reach 300,000 tonnes per year over the next two years then increase to 500,000 tonnes. Then we will launch another exercise to increase our production to 500,000 tonnes." VARIOUS OF MINING SITE VARIOUS OF TRUCKS TRANSPORTING MANGANESE (SOUNDBITE) (French) KADJO KOUAME, DIRECTOR GENERAL, SODEMI, SAYING: "The government has agreed to grant us a research permit on a small area in order to increase our output. We think that in future, in 2015, 2016, we will produce up to 500,000 tonnes of manganese per year on our mining sites. This will also allow all manganese mining sites in Ivory Coast to surpass one million tonnes and enable the country to join the lists of manganese producing countries." VARIOUS OF CRANES MOVING MANGANESE AT MINING SITE
  • Embargoed: 31st January 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cote d'Ivoire
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Topics: Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVA7QKE9213P63IX7JY9G7E86OWZ
  • Story Text: Ivory Coast 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 this week.
    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.
    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.

    "The programme in 2014 is to reach 300,000 tonnes per year over the next two years then increase to 500,000 tonnes. Then we will launch another exercise to increase our production to 500,000 tonnes," Kadjo Kouame, Sodemi's Director General told Reuters.
    Kouame said Sodemi and CGM had already invested six billion CFA francs (12.44 million US dollars) in the Lauzoua mine, around 180 kilometres 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.

    "The government has agreed to grant us a research permit on a small area in order to increase our output. We think that in future, in 2015, 2016, we will produce up to 500,000 tonnes of manganese per year on our mining sites. This will also allow all manganese mining sites in Ivory Coast to surpass one million tonnes and enable the country to join the lists of manganese producing countries," said Kwame, adding that the additional production would come from new mines expected to come online over the next three years.
    Regional neighbours Gabon and Ghana are among the world's top manganese producing countries.
    However Ivory Coast 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 tonnes of ore in 2012.
    The mine, near Ivory Coast'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 three 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.
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