Belinga
Mining
The Belinga iron reserves were discovered in 1895.William Adams Hance, The Geography of Modern Africa (1975), page 304.Douglas A. Yates, "Gabon", in Africa Yearbook: Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara 2006 (2007), page 257. They are estimated to hold about one billion tons of iron ore.
Iron ore mining was expected to start in 2011{{Cite web |date=2007-06-17 |title=Good news for Gabon iron ore |url=http://www.fin24.com/articles/default/display_article.aspx?ArticleId=1518-25_2131461 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131111232503/http://web.archive.org/web/20110711003937/http://www.fin24.com/Economy/Good-news-for-Gabon-iron-ore-20070617 |archive-date=2013-11-11 |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=Fin24: Economy}} but due to a lack of financing the project was currently on hold.{{Cite web |url=http://www.banktrack.org/show/dodgydeals/belinga_iron_ore_project |title=BankTrack.org - dodgydeals - Belinga iron ore project |access-date=2011-11-01 |archive-date=2011-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718024719/http://www.banktrack.org/show/dodgydeals/belinga_iron_ore_project |url-status=dead }}
Because of slowness in getting the project started, the Chinese rights may be in 2012 given to BHP.{{cite news |title=UPDATE: Mining Rights to Gabon's Belinga Iron Ore Deposit in BHP Billiton's Hands Soon |url=http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/290110/20120131/australia-gabon-africa-china-iron-ore-bhp.htm#.U-9Q4vmSxZs |accessdate=16 August 2014 |work=International Business Times |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204015044/http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/290110/20120131/australia-gabon-africa-china-iron-ore-bhp.htm#.U-9Q4vmSxZs |archivedate=4 February 2012 }}
In 2023, Fortescue Metals Group started exporting 2 million tonnes of ore using road and rail transport to reach the port of Owendo. [https://www.australianresourcesandinvestment.com.au/2023/02/08/belinga-iron-ore-mine-to-start-second-half-of-2023/ Belinga iron ore]
Transport
A 237 km long railway branch line is proposed branching from Booue to enable these deposits to be exploited. As the tonneages hauled will be greatly increased, this line may also extend to a port at Santa Clara which would extend the railway to 560 km.[http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-162298942.html China to build Gabon railway.(News)]
The town is near the Republic of Congo and Cameroon borders.
See also
- Iron ore in Africa
- Railway stations in Gabon
References
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