Mining conference commits to use of geodata

A mining conference held in Entebbe has committed to the use of geodata so African countries can realize the true worth of their mineral resources.

The promise was made at a two-day workshop organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) in partnership with the Uganda Chamber of Mines and Petroleum (UCMP) and the British Geological Survey (BGS) that ended over the weekend at Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe.

"While Africa has always been endowed with rich natural resources, the continent has not fully benefited from them due to an assortment of factors. One of the major holdbacks is the limited availability of geodata to guide policy and investment," noted Hon Richard Kaijuka, the vice president of the UCMP.

Under the theme: ‘A New Beginning: A collaborative partnering approach towards African Geodata', the meeting was guided by the aspirations of Agenda 2023, which aims to transform the African continent in the next 50 years.

Key stakeholders from the continent attended the meet and they deliberated on innovative ways within which geodata (geoscientific data) can be generated, managed and used in the mining sector.

Although Uganda does not have any single large scale commercial mine, small scale mining is very vibrant in the country in areas such as Mubende, Moroto, Busia, where people mine gold.

According to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Mubende has five million ounces of gold. One million ounces of gold estimated at Mashonga; 500,000 ounces of gold estimated at Tiira, Busia; and over 500,000 ounces estimated at Alupe in Busia, and; 139,000 ounces and possible reserves of 160,000 of gold at Nakabat in Moroto District.