Kilo-Moto
Encyclopedia
Kilo-Moto is a region in the far northeast corner of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC) where gold was discovered in the Ituri River by government prospectors in 1903. Moto is in the Haut-Uele District
and Kilo in the Ituri Interim Administration
.
in the northeast of the DRC.
In the northern part, the Moto Goldmines project has an aggregate lease area of 1841 square kilometres (710.8 sq mi),
with most activity centered on a 35 square kilometres (13.5 sq mi) area around the old Durba gold mine.
It is possible that as much as 25.7m ounces of gold are present.
In the center is the Zani-Kodo area.
To the south if the Mongbwalu field, a 10000 square kilometres (3,861 sq mi) concession to the north and east of Bunia
that is mainly owned by AngloGold Ashanti
with the DRC parastatal Office des Mines de Kilo Moto (OKIMO) holding a 13.78% interest.
Gold was also extracted by panning the river gravels.
In 1919 the government created the Régie Industrielle des Mines de Kilo-Moto, an autonomous body. In 1926 the Régie was converted into a commercial company, the Société des Mines d’Or de Kilo-Moto.
Hydroelectric stations were built to power the crushing plants, and by 1930 the two mines, but mostly Kilo, were producing almost 5000 kilograms (11,023.1 lb) annually.
During the 1950s and 1960s Belgian charter companies extracted over 3m ounces from a total recorded 11m ounces of gold from hard-rock mines in the Kilo Moto belt. The mining was mainly a mixture of alluvials and shallow oxide pits.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
became independent in 1962 and the company was nationalised without compensation in 1967.
and Mambasa
.
Kilo Goldmines was also active in a joint venture with Somituri sprl, a local company, in exploiting properties in the territories of Mambasa
and Wamba
near the village of Nia Nia
. Colonial mines produced gold in this area from the 1920s until 1958.
OKIMO held a 10% interest in a joint venture between AngloGold Ashanti
and Randgold at Kibali which the Randgold CEO has called the largest gold mine in Africa outside of South Africa.
The partners had acquired the former owner Moto Gold Mines
in October 2009.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
(DRC) where gold was discovered in the Ituri River by government prospectors in 1903. Moto is in the Haut-Uele District
Haut-Uele District
Haut-Uele District is a district located in Orientale Province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo....
and Kilo in the Ituri Interim Administration
Ituri Interim Administration
The Ituri Interim Administration is an interim body that administers the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was established in 2003 by the Ituri Pacification Commission and supported by the UN mission in the DRC.-History:...
.
Location
Kilo Moto is a semi-continuous greenstone beltGreenstone belt
Greenstone belts are zones of variably metamorphosed mafic to ultramafic volcanic sequences with associated sedimentary rocks that occur within Archaean and Proterozoic cratons between granite and gneiss bodies....
in the northeast of the DRC.
In the northern part, the Moto Goldmines project has an aggregate lease area of 1841 square kilometres (710.8 sq mi),
with most activity centered on a 35 square kilometres (13.5 sq mi) area around the old Durba gold mine.
It is possible that as much as 25.7m ounces of gold are present.
In the center is the Zani-Kodo area.
To the south if the Mongbwalu field, a 10000 square kilometres (3,861 sq mi) concession to the north and east of Bunia
Bunia
Bunia is a city in Democratic Republic of the Congo and is the headquarters of Ituri Interim Administration in the Ituri region of Orientale Province....
that is mainly owned by AngloGold Ashanti
AngloGold Ashanti
AngloGold Ashanti Limited is a global gold mining company. It was formed in 2004 by the merger of AngloGold and the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation.AngloGold Ashanti Limited is now a global gold producer with 21 operations on four continents...
with the DRC parastatal Office des Mines de Kilo Moto (OKIMO) holding a 13.78% interest.
Colonial period
The Kilo mine was opened in 1905 and the Moto mine in 1911.Gold was also extracted by panning the river gravels.
In 1919 the government created the Régie Industrielle des Mines de Kilo-Moto, an autonomous body. In 1926 the Régie was converted into a commercial company, the Société des Mines d’Or de Kilo-Moto.
Hydroelectric stations were built to power the crushing plants, and by 1930 the two mines, but mostly Kilo, were producing almost 5000 kilograms (11,023.1 lb) annually.
During the 1950s and 1960s Belgian charter companies extracted over 3m ounces from a total recorded 11m ounces of gold from hard-rock mines in the Kilo Moto belt. The mining was mainly a mixture of alluvials and shallow oxide pits.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
became independent in 1962 and the company was nationalised without compensation in 1967.
Post-colonial developments
As of 2011, Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration was in a joint venture with Kilo Goldmines, a Canadian company, to develop properties in the vicinity of IsiroIsiro
Isiro is the capital of Haut-Uele District in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lies between the equatorial forest and the savannah and its main resource is coffee. Isiro's population is estimated at approximately 150,000...
and Mambasa
Mambasa
Mambasa is a town in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the headquarters of the Mambasa Territory....
.
Kilo Goldmines was also active in a joint venture with Somituri sprl, a local company, in exploiting properties in the territories of Mambasa
Mambasa Territory
Mambasa Territory is an administrative area in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.The headquarters is in the town of Mambasa....
and Wamba
Wamba Territory
Wamba Territory is a part of the Haut-Uele District of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The administrative center is the town of Wamba.-Mining:...
near the village of Nia Nia
Nia Nia
Nia Nia is a village in the extreme west of the Mambasa Territory of the Ituri Interim Administration in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is in the center of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, a rich area of tropical rainforest, and can be reached only via roads that are often impassable...
. Colonial mines produced gold in this area from the 1920s until 1958.
OKIMO held a 10% interest in a joint venture between AngloGold Ashanti
AngloGold Ashanti
AngloGold Ashanti Limited is a global gold mining company. It was formed in 2004 by the merger of AngloGold and the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation.AngloGold Ashanti Limited is now a global gold producer with 21 operations on four continents...
and Randgold at Kibali which the Randgold CEO has called the largest gold mine in Africa outside of South Africa.
The partners had acquired the former owner Moto Gold Mines
Moto Gold Mines
Moto Goldmines Limited was a gold exploration and mining company with operations in the Kilo-Moto greenstone belt in Ituri Province in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The company's stock was listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative...
in October 2009.