Cameroon introduces stricter gold mining conditions, targets foreign firms in crackdown
Cameroon is tightening oversight of its gold sector, introducing strict financial and operational requirements for Chinese mining companies and other operators before suspended activities in the mineral-rich East Region can resume.
The new conditions were outlined during a high-level meeting in Yaoundé between Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development Prof Fuh Calistus Gentry and Li Jiang Hua, Political Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Cameroon.
The mining companies are required to pay an environmental bond of 63 million CFA francs (over $100,000), meet minimum monthly production targets, and transition to closed-circuit processing systems within six months.
However, Prof Gentry reiterated that the closure of illegal mining sites was not targeted exclusively at Chinese-owned operations. “All operators, regardless of nationality, must comply with the same legal framework,” he said.
The move follows a wave of site closures targeting operators found in breach of Cameroon’s Mining Code, part of a broader push to rein in illegal and environmentally damaging mining activities.
Cameroon’s crackdown reflects a wider shift across African resource economies, where governments are increasingly enforcing stricter mining regulations, particularly on foreign participants operating in loosely regulated or informal segments of the sector.
In Cameroon, the largely informal nature of semi-mechanised artisanal mining has long undermined tax collection and environmental protection.
Still, the new financial threshold is significant. The environmental bond alone could effectively shut out undercapitalised operators, particularly smaller or informal players unable to meet the upfront costs.
Chinese officials acknowledged the stricter stance, with Political Counsellor Li Jiang Hua reiterating that firms must fully comply with local laws while supporting Cameroon’s efforts to formalise the sector.
Professor Fuh Calistus Gentry however, gave Chinese authorities one more week to warn nationals operating illegally in the mining sector.
Authorities say the reforms aim to create a more transparent and accountable mining environment, while ensuring that the state captures greater value from its gold resources through taxes, royalties, and environmental safeguards.
