Some 400 international investors, mining experts and directors of financial institutions from across the globe, Cameroonian decision-makers, development partners and other key actors in the mining industry who took part in the just-ended Cameroon International Mining Conference & Exhibition (CIMEC 2013), have urged the government to set up a national mineral resource research laboratory in the country. They hold that with 60 per cent of the mineral prowess of Cameroon unknown, such a structure could help the country explore its mineral potentials and facilitate mining companies to analyse their results as well as serve as a source of income for the government.

The call is contained in the recommendations the participants addressed to government after three days (May 29-31) of reflection on how the country’s enormous mineral resources could be transformed into opportunities for development. The Yaounde confab which federated reflection on the country’s mining sector held on the theme, “Sustainably developing Cameroon’s mineral resources for the benefit of future generations.” The mining stakeholders equally pleaded with government to set up or attract survey and drilling companies, promote the existing resources for national and international business people, ensure the respect of environmental norms throughout the entire mining period as well as make the international mining conference and exhibition a biennial event.

Reacting, the Chairman of the organising committee, Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Technological Development, said government will put in place a follow up committee for an efficient implementation of the recommendations. “The major outcome of this forum is that for over three days, we have had mining companies, analytical laboratories, drilling companies from all over the world. In its first session, we have taken resolutions to make Cameroon a centre for negotiations in mining affairs in Central and West Africa. We believe that in 2015, this will be a bigger event and we will make it something that has come to stay because Cameroon deserves it based on its huge mineral potentials which we have exposed over the days. Government is encouraging those laboratories that have come here and others worldwide to implant in this country,” he said.

Participants like Charly Da Cunha, Area Manager of Sage group, a France-based mining firm, saluted the organisation of the conference. “The organisation was good because we were able to have a good networking to meet all players of the mining sector in the same place. We now know better the potentials of Cameroon’s mining and this is a positive point,” he said.