Brazzaville, Congo - The Congolese government Wednesday in Brazzaville launched the geological mapping of the country’s mineral potentials, in order to stimulate activities in the mining sector. The project also aims at updating the data on knowledge of the Congolese subsoil. 'We launched this mapping programme to be consistent with the African mining vision adopted in 2009 by Heads of State of the African Union,' said Director General of Mining Louis-Marie Joachim Djama when presenting the project. 'It is also part of recommendations made by the ACP countries to regularise small-scale maps,” Djama said.

Mapping of mineral resources will also enable Congo to define the resources available in an area, in a bid to facilitate future investments.

Scheduled to last for a maximum of five years, the project will be executed by the Bureau of Geological and Mining Research (BRGM), a French organisation that specialises in identifying mineral resources.

The project, which is pivotal to the development of the country, is part of the government's efforts to diversify its economy, which is largely oil dependent.

Pana 07/07/2011