Technical cooperation Mauritania - Promoting the non-metallic resource sector in Mauritania
Report of the project:
Auger drilling in the kaolin, Mauritania
Source: BGR
The Mauritanian mining sector is a significant contributor to the national economy. Around one third of the state's revenue is generated by the mining activities in the country. Mauritanian mining focuses on the extraction of metallic ores, especially iron, gold and copper. Accordingly, there is a great dependence on the demand for these raw materials and the associated price fluctuations. Furthermore, local value addition, which could result from further processing of these raw materials, is largely absent. The ores mined in Mauritania are subjected to only a rough processing and are exported directly. The final processing and refining of the raw materials takes place abroad. Non-metallic raw materials are mined on a small scale and do not play a major role in the domestic mining sector.
Within the technical cooperation framework, BGR is supporting the Mauritanian Ministry of Mines and its subordinate authority "Agence Nationale de Recherches Géologiques et du Patrimoine Minier" ANARPAM (formerly OMRG) for the development of a more diversified mining sector. The first phase of the project "Diversification of Mauritania's Mining Sector" between 2016 – 2020 has shown that Mauritania has promising potential in terms of non-metallic raw materials. The second phase of the project “Promoting the non-metallic resource sector in Mauritania” (2020 – 2023) accordingly builds on the first phase and focuses exclusively on Mauritania's non-metallic raw materials potential. This will contribute to further develop other (national and international) markets and to reduce dependencies. Construction raw materials and some industrial minerals offer a great opportunity for further processing in the country and the establishment of local value chains.
One objective of the project is to collect, create and publish data and information on mineral occurrences in the country. With specific trainings (e.g. for drilling, geochemical analysis, and the interpretation and modelling of collected data), the partner institution is establishing their activities in exploration methods, laboratory analyses, data management and information systems according to international standards.
Until now, the Hassi Abyad kaolin deposit as well as the limestone occurrences in Nouadhibou and Haimedatt have been investigated intensively. These three occurrences are shown in the interactive map of the project. Out of the three occurrences, the kaolin of Hassi Abyad proved to be a promising deposit. The investigations at Hassi Abyad are largely completed and a fact sheet has been prepared for the public. Further fact sheets for selected non-metallic raw materials in several languages will be prepared. The aim is to raise awareness of Mauritanian and international investors for raw material deposits in Mauritania, which are still unknown. Other non-metallic raw materials to be investigated by the project are, for example clay, bentonite, barite and silica sand.
Contributions to the project:
Presentation of the project by the Mauritanian partner ANARPAM