Kabiinda Minerals

Company Description

Gold deposits in the far north-eastern corner of the Belgian Congo, later Zaire, were discovered by prospectors in 1903 in the Ituri river. The first real mine opened on a small scale in 1904 around Kilo and in 1911 around Moto (a lesser site some 200 km from Kilo). These mines of various types were owned directly by the state. In 1919 (predecessor in 1911) the Belgian state entity R�ie Industrielle des Mines de Kilo-Moto was created. A 3,000 kW hydro-electric power station replaced the locomobiles. In contrast to the high grade vein-type deposits in the southern (Mongbwalu, Makala, Sincere and Adidi mines in Kilo) area, the economically important gold ores of the northern (Gorumbwa, Durba and Agbarabo mines in Moto) sector are impregnation deposits in schists. In addition gold was still extracted from alluvial deposits in river gravels. The Kilo-Moto goldfields are believed to be among the largest in Africa and it is estimated that more than 300 metric t of gold had been produced here by 30 June 1960, when the Congo became independent. The annual gold production of K-M was 65 p.c. of the colony's total.