DRC natural resources press review of Friday, July 12, 2013

The newspaper the Potentiel reports that the Government, by an intergovernmental order signed by the Minister of Mines and the Deputy Finance, extended until 31 December 2013 moratorium prohibiting exports of unrefined crude ores. According to Bloomberg, which relays the same information, the ban on exports of copper and cobalt from the DRC unprocessed, scheduled to begin this month, is postponed until the end of the year. Supposed to force mining companies to process metals and minerals in the Congo, however, this prohibition is impractical. Mining groups complain because of the scarcity of electricity production to process all minerals and had requested a delay in the implementation of the embargo.The tabloid said that the DRC is the eighth-largest copper producer in the world and the largest producer of cobalt in 2012, according to U.S. Geological Survey. But power shortages have forced some mining companies to install generators or buy electricity from neighboring Zambia to run their factories.Remain in the ores to note that, according to Agence Ecofin, Tiger Resources Ltd. announced on July 11, a scaled up 173% of the deposit indicated resource Sase Central its copper project in the province Lupoto Katanga in Congo. According to the Australian company listed on ASX, indicated resources totaled 9.6 Mt at a grade of 1.39% copper, with 134,000 tonnes of copper and 5,000 tonnes of cobalt. It is, according to the company, an increase of 173% compared to 49 000 tonnes of copper measured in March 2011.Inferred resources are also estimated at 2.8 Mt at a grade of 1.21% copper, with 34,000 tonnes of copper and 1,000 tonnes of cobalt. "The feasibility study of the deposit Sase Central will be completed in late 2013. If inconclusive, Tiger submit a request to change the operating 2014 "exploration Lupoto permit allowed, announced Brad Marwood, managing director of Tiger Resources Ltd.. The agency said that Tiger Resources Ltd. holds 100% Lupoto copper project located 23 km south of the Kipoi Copper Project in which it owns a 60% interest, northwest of Lubumbashi, Katanga province.Still on the issue of mines, Radio Okapi reports that the crisis in the Kilo Moto Mining Company (Sokimo) was the focus of a meeting which met on Wednesday, July 10 at Bunia national caucus of members elected Ituri and officers of the company. The meeting comes two days after peaceful protests about 80 officers of this company were organized in the city to demand the resignation of their management committee, accused of mismanagement. After the meeting, the MPs said investigate to understand the real challenges facing the Sokimo and external partners, including the South African AngloGold Ashanti Kilo.For its part, the weekly the Revolution reports concern of Major André Mukonda who cares about the non-use of his men by oil. According to the newspaper, the Congolese State expensively trained police officers who are responsible for monitoring the oil and mining industries sites knowingly. They specialize in mining, transportation and marketing of oil so that mining products. In addition, they are OPJ restricted jurisdiction to find cases of illegal storage of petroleum products and precious materials from mines. They have the authority to stop forthwith all offenders. As a result, they and maximize revenues to the Treasury by the services listed above. But now the oil companies and ignore the state does not get involved enough for their assignment in the mining and oil companies as they are responsible for security. Especially those who are in good standing with the state. (...) Thus the detachment commander of the national mining and hydrocarbon Police Major Mukonda André appealed both to the authorities concerned ministries as those of mining companies and hydrocarbons, so they use them.On another note, Radio Okapi announced that a wildfire has consumed more Wednesday, July 10 acres of corn and cassava in the group Kakokwela on Kamashi Kabuya axis in the territory of Bukama (Katanga), say witnesses on site. They explained that the flames would Mukungwe parts of the neighboring village where women were in search of wild rats. Some farmers who had made small granaries for the next cropping season say they have lost everything. The president of the farmers and fishermen of the chiefdom Kabondo Dianda feared for his part that this not only causes a substantial loss, but also the famine in this country especially as many have also lost their seed.The same source reports that environmentalist recommend the complete cutting of fruit trees. Nicolas Shoku, environmental expert, called the farmers who produce the charcoal not to cut the fruit trees. A practice that tends to spread. In an interview Tuesday, July 9 at Radio Okapi, he regretted seeing farmers in Bas-Congo cut orange, mango, safoutiers and other fruit trees to make charcoal. An activity that contributes to the destruction of species. He said that the tree as a renewable resource should not be cut into disorder to facilitate regeneration.