Ndassima

Last updated
Ndassima
Ndassima.png
Ndassima mine in 2014
Location
Central African Republic location map.svg
Schlaegel und Eisen nach DIN 21800.svg
Ndassima
Location in CAR
Prefecture Ouaka
Country Central African Republic
Coordinates 6°09′34″N20°47′36″E / 6.15944°N 20.79333°E / 6.15944; 20.79333
Production
Products Gold
TypeOpen-pit
Owner
Companyde jure: AXMIN Inc. (2006–to present)
de facto: UPC (2012–2017), Midas Ressources/Wagner Group/ (2017-present)

Ndassima is a gold mine in Ouaka prefecture in Central African Republic. It is the nation's only industrialized gold mine.

Contents

It was taken from the legal owners during the civil war in 2013, before being seized by Wagner Group around 2017.

Description

Ndassima is one of the largest mines in the Central African Republic, covering an area of 138 square miles. [1]

History

The mine in 2020 Ndassima mine.jpg
The mine in 2020

Prior to foreign ownership, the mine was dug by hand. [1]

Central African Republic based, Toronto-registered Axmin was given granted a license to operate the mine in 2010. [1]

UPC rebels took control of the mine during the Central African Republic Civil War in 2013. [1]

In June 2013, heavy rains provoked the collapse of the mine, killing 37 miners and injuring many others. [2] On August 22, 2014 the mine collapsed again killing at least 25 people. [3]

Wagner Group took over the mine around 2017, and the mine's owners Axmin reported being notified that their permit to operate the mine was cancelled in 2019. [1] Shortly later the company reported that Midas Ressources was awarded their operating license. [1] Midas brought in heavy equipment and turned the mine into the nation's first industralized gold mine. [1]

In 2021, in Boyo, Wagner Group fighters massacred villagers who were perceived to be aligned with the UPC. [1]

On 10 February 2021 government forces recaptured the mine. [4] Two days later UPC launched an attack on Ndassima which was repelled by army forces with help from Russian mercenaries. [5] Legal ownership of the asset remains in dispute and Axmin still holds the mining convention pending resolution at law. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bambari</span> Place in Ouaka, Central African Republic

Bambari is a town in the Central African Republic, lying on the Ouaka River. It has a population of 41,356 and is the capital of Ouaka prefecture. Bambari is an important market town and is home to Bambari Airport, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bambari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boali</span> Place in Ombella-MPoko, Central African Republic

Boali is a town located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Ombella-M'Poko.

Ippy is a town located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Ouaka, and is located near the geographic center of the country. It is 364 kilometers from the city of Bangui directly. Driving distance, however, is 496 kilometers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mining industry of the Central African Republic</span>

The Central African Republic's mineral resource endowment includes copper, diamond, gold, graphite, ilmenite, iron ore, kaolin, kyanite, lignite, limestone, manganese, monazite, quartz, rutile, salt, tin, and uranium. Of these commodities, only diamond and gold were produced in 2006 - subsistence farming was the mainstay of the economy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mingala</span> Sub-prefecture and town in Basse-Kotto, Central African Republic

Mingala is a sub-prefecture and town in the Basse-Kotto Prefecture of the southern Central African Republic.

The following is a timeline of events during the Central African Republic Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Popular Front for the Rebirth of Central African Republic</span> Rebel group

Popular Front for the Rebirth of Central African Republic is a rebel group in the Central African Republic which controls areas of the northern part of the country, until 2021 based in N'Délé.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union for Peace in the Central African Republic</span> Armed group in the Central African Republic

Union for Peace in the Central African Republic is a rebel group in the Central African Republic which controls southern parts of the country.

The Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) is a coalition of major rebel groups in the Central African Republic created in 2020 to disrupt the 2020–21 Central African general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nzacko</span> Place in Mbomou, Central African Republic

Nzacko or Nzako is a village located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Mbomou on the road between Bakouma and Bria.

Gaga is a village located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Ombella-M'Poko. Artisanal gold mining is active in the commune.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mboki</span> Sub-prefecture and town in Haut-Mbomou, Central African Republic

Mboki is a town in the Haut-Mbomou prefecture of the south-eastern Central African Republic.

In March 2022 Russian mercenaries from Wagner Group supported by armed forces launched an offensive against armed groups in the northeastern parts of the Central African Republic (CAR) during which they killed dozens of rebels and possibly hundreds of civilians including citizens of Chad, Niger, Sudan and CAR who were working there as artisanal miners, herders and camel drivers while displacing thousands. The events have been described by multiple sources including domestic in the Central African Republic as well as in Sudan based on survivor testimony.

Boyo is a village located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Ouaka.

Dimbi is a village located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Basse-Kotto.

Aïgbado or Aïgbando is a village located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Haute-Kotto.

Sikkikede , also spelled Sikikédé and Sikikede, is a town in Vakaga Prefecture, Central African Republic. It is the largest settlement in Vakaga, with a population of around 20.000 people. CPJP established the headquarter in Sikkikede.

The Wagner Group, also known as PMC Wagner, a Russian paramilitary organization also described as a private military company (PMC), a network of mercenaries, and a de facto unit of the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) or Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, has conducted operations in the Central African Republic since late 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midas Ressources</span> Central African Republic gold mining company

Midas Ressources SARLU is a Wagner Group affiliated precious metals company based in Central African Republic.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Inside Wagner, Russia’s Secret War Company | WSJ Documentary, archived from the original on 2023-06-10, retrieved 2023-06-10
  2. ↑ "At least 37 dead as Central African Republic gold mine collapses". Reuters. 24 June 2013. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  3. ↑ "Rebel-held mine collapses in Central African Republic, killing 25". 22 August 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  4. ↑ "RCA : affrontement entre les rebelles et les forces de l'ordre à la sortie nord de Bambari sur l'axe Ippy". 11 February 2021. Archived from the original on 11 February 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  5. ↑ "RCA : reprise des combats vendredi soir à Ndassima entre les rebelles de l'UPC et les FACA appuyés par les mercenaires russes". 13 February 2021. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.