Congo blocks gold refinery days before launch – report

Congo blocks gold refinery days before launch – report

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s government revoked its authorization for the country’s first gold refinery, days before its planned inauguration, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

The plant, built by Congo Gold Raffinerie Sarl (CGR) in the eastern city of Bukavu, has been in the works since 2019 and was expected to produce two tons of gold a month using ore from artisanal mines in South Kivu province.

Mines Minister Antoinette N’Samba Kalambayi cancelled the company’s permit because it “did not respect its societal obligations,” according to a July 24 decree seen by Bloomberg and confirmed by both CGR and the ministry.

Neither the minister nor CGR provided further details.

CGR is owned equally by Congolese businessman Dieudonne Kasembo Nyembo and Yasin Somji, whose family has a long history of doing business, including mineral trading, in central Africa.

The company has 30 days to appeal, according to the decree.

Just last month, N’Samba Kalambayi gave the project a “green light” in a meeting with company officials in the capital, Kinshasa.

“The actual gold processing can begin without hesitation in July,” the ministry said in a statement on its website that cited the minister.

On its website, CGR says its refinery located in the city of Bukavu in the South Kivu