Repubblica Centrafricana – Imprevisti per i piani di Ondoko
● Un l’uomo d’affari congolese, Richard Ondoko, sta cercando di occupare una posizione chiave nelle miniere della Rep. del Centro Africa (RCA);
● si intromette nei suoi piani la Cina.
o 2005: Ondoko fonda Hydro Finance Ltd; è consulente della sudafricana UraMin Inc., per lo sviluppo del suo portafoglio di permessi di esplorazione per l’uranio, in particolare a Bakouma, Centro Africa.
o 2006, Hydro Finance conclude un accordo per una centrale idroelettrica, in Centrafrica, che deve fornire energia alle miniere in progetto di UraMin/Areva e Axmin/Aurafrique, progetti per ora in sospeso a vario titolo.
o 2007, UraMin acquisita improvvisamente dalla francese Areva impegnata in un contratto per due EPR (centrali atomiche di nuova generazione) con la Cina (aveva perso una fonte di rifornimento di uranio in Canada per un’inondazione …)
● Ondoko detiene in RCA concessioni per l’uranio, è legato al presidente centrafricano, Bozizé, e al nipote, ministro per le miniere.
● Uranio AG, controllata da Lana International – creata anch’essa da Ondoko – è l’operatore per le concessioni minerarie di Bakouma nord e Ndenguiro,
o queste miniere conterrebbero almeno il doppio delle vicine riserve, le cui concessioni appartengono ad UraMin, acquisita recentemente per il 49% dalla cinese CGNPC.
Recente accordo preliminare tra Uranio AG e Hydro Finance per fornire 30 MW alla futura miniera di minerali di uranio di Ondoko a Bakouma.
Africa Mining Intelligence 081216
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC – Setback for Ondoko’s Plans
– The Congolese businessman Richard Ondoko has been working for years to become an essential player in the Central African Republic’s mines. But for the moment, he is still a solo operator. We looked into the matter.
– Hydro Finance Ltd, a company based in the Seychelles, was set up by Ondoko in 2005. That same year, it worked as a consultant to UraMin Inc of South Africa to help it develop its portfolio of uranium exploration permits in Africa, notably in the Central African Republic at Bakouma.
– UraMin was bought in a hurry by Areva during summer 2007 when a mine at Cigar Lake in Canada partly owned by the French firm was flooded and could not begin production. (At the time it was imperative for Areva to secure another source of uranium urgently so as to validate a contract to sell two EPRs to China.)
– Hydro Finance also most importantly promised to build a hydroelectric power station at Kembé, 700 km east of Bangui following an agreement signed with the government in 2006. The power station, with capacity of 60 MW, was originally supposed to supply energy to UraMin/Areva and Axmin/Aurafrique’s future mines. But the authorities recently moved to reformat Aurafrique’s permit, triggering in part a collapse in the share price of Axmin, its parent company, and the suspension of its gold mining project at Passandro. As to UraMin/Areva, negotiations continue and no agreement has been found with Hydro Finance. Contacted to give its position, Areva did not respond.
– But Richard Ondoko is undeterred. The businessman, who is close to both president François Bozizé and to his nephew, the minister for mines Sylvain N’doutingai, also holds uranium permits in the country.
– Uranio AG, a company registered in Basle, Switzerland and controlled by Lana International, another entity set up by Ondoko, is in fact the operator of mining concessions at Bakouma North and Ndenguiro, next to UraMin’s concessions.
– According to reports recently published by the consultanting firm SRK, the blocs in question are thought to contain at least twice the reserves that UraMin has.
– The Chinese firm CGNPC recently bought 49% of UraMin.
Last week, Uranio AG initialled a preliminary agreement with Hydro Finance for the supply of 30 MW, in view of supplying Ondoko’s future uranate mine at Bakouma.