Cameroon

Mining in Cameroon dates back to the colonial era when minerals like gold, bauxite, iron ore, and diamonds were discovered in the country. The first mining activity in the country was in 1934 when the government issued a permit to the Union Miniere du Haut Katanga (UMHK), a Belgian company, to prospect for minerals in western Cameroon. The UMHK discovered significant deposits of bauxite, iron ore, and gold, and by 1948 had started mining bauxite and iron ore, which were mainly for export to Europe.

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In the 1960s and 1970s, the Cameroon government started to take control of the mining industry through various measures, including nationalization of mining operations. The government established companies such as Camerounaise des Mines (CAMIN) to manage the mining sector, and today, mining in Cameroon is dominated by state-owned companies. Mining activities in Cameroon have diversified to include other minerals like tin, cobalt, nickel, and rutile. However, the mining industry in Cameroon remains largely undeveloped due to insufficient infrastructure, a lack of technical expertise, and limited investment in the sector.