Overview
At the beginning of 2002, 54 exploration licences for gold and related metals had been issued. The Precambrian Reguibat Shield and the Mauritanides Belt are the most prospective areas for gold mineralisation in Mauritania. A wide variety of companies are actively exploring for gold ranging from large multinationals such as BHP and Rex Mining to smaller junior exploration companies such as the Spanish company Luchosol, the Canadian junior Brick Capital and Lonart Pty Ltd. In addition to these, the Guelb Moghrein JV predominantly owned by the Emirates Company Wadi Al Rawda Mining have additional exploration licences around their current mining licence area. SNIM have in recent years entered the precious metals exploration market and OMRG have been granted a promotional zone by the government for gold exploration in the Ouassat-Sfariate.

The Tasiast Gold project, which currently comprises 12 exploration licences in Archaean greenstone belt was first identified by OMRG in the mid 1990’s. Normandy LaSource Development SAS, a company owned by Australia’s Normandy Mining (part of the Newmont group) acquired the project in the late 1990’s and brought the project to a pre feasibility stage. In June 2002, Strata Mining acquired the Tasiast Gold project that has a resource of in excess of 900,000 oz at 3 g/t using a 1 g/t cut off. In addition, the Tasiast Gold project comes with an extensive exploration land holding of approximately 5,000 sq km in an Archaean greenstone environment. Strata intend to take the Tasiast project into a full-scale bankable feasibility study, which will require some additional resource drilling to upgrade reserves and resources. Strata strive to become the only gold producer in Mauritania, but to achieve this they are looking to raise GBP5.5 million. If successful the project will move into production in late 2004 with a drilling program to start before the end of this year.

Organisations (1)
Mines d’Or d’Akjoujt :[ Add More ]

Facilities (5)
Guelb El Rhein, Guelb Moghrein, Kedia d’Idjil, M’Haoudat, SNIM iron ore mine – Mauritania