Akobo in Ethiopia is WhyAfrica’s Pick Of The Week
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Akobo in Ethiopia is WhyAfrica’s Pick Of The Week
Scandinavian company Akobo Minerals has poured first gold at its Segele mine in Ethiopia.
Compiled by Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and editor of the WhyAfrica magazine.
The mines’ first gold pour last week, which yielded an impressive 6.5kg, was attended by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and a government delegation. According to Akobo Minerals CEO Jørgen Evjen, the opening of Segele is a shining example of the mine’s high-grade ore and production capabilities.
The Segele mine is located in the Gambella region and represents a landmark in Ethiopian gold exploration and production.
Akobo’s geology
Akobo is an extensive placer gold region characterised by a Precambrian belt of metamorphic rocks. These rocks constitute the southernmost part of the West Ethiopian Precambrian Greenstone Belt, a southern extension of the Arabian-Nubian Shield, known for many gold deposits, ancient and modern.
According to Akobo’s geological report, large and small bodies of ultramafic rocks characterise the Akobo area. Similar rocks occur along the belt to the north, for example at Yubdo, Tulu Kapi, Tulu Dimtu, Baruda as well as Asosa.
Gold is broadly associated with these areas of higher concentration of ultramafic bodies and has been produced from placer deposits in these western areas of Ethiopia since ancient times.
Potential of the Akobo Basin
The Akobo report states that the region in which the Akobo Minerals license is situated is in the far southwest of Ethiopia.
“For thousands of years, western Ethiopia has been renowned for its placer gold – but it is only now that the potential in the southernmost part, The Akobo Basin, is starting to be realised.
“Akobo is now known to be an extensive placer gold region characterised by a Neoproterozoic belt of metamorphic rocks. These rocks constitute the southernmost part of the Western Ethiopian Shield, a southern extension of the Arabian- Nubian Shield, known for many gold deposits, both ancient and modern.
“Large and small bodies of ultramafic rocks characterise the Akobo area. Similar rocks occur along the belt to the north, including at Yubdo, Tulu Kapi, Tulu Dimtu, Baruda and Asosa. Gold is broadly associated with these areas of higher concentrations of ultramafic bodies, having been produced from placer deposits in these western areas of the country since ancient times.
Akobo is in a lowland area of Ethiopia. Akobo Minerals’ camp is located about 700 km by road from the capital, Addis Ababa, with all but the final 30km served by asphalt road.
“The Segele mine is a testament to Ethiopia’s vast potential in the mining sector and the importance of international partnerships to realise this potential,” said Prime Minister Abiy at the inauguration ceremony. “We are proud to see this project reach a significant milestone, benefiting not only the national economy but also the communities around it.”
With its high-grade ore body and innovative processing methods, Segele is poised to contribute to Ethiopia’s export revenues and local employment opportunities.
Akobo Minerals has invested extensively in its exploration and mining operations and community development initiatives, including local job creation, supporting local education, improving healthcare, and enhancing infrastructure, to ensure the project’s long-term success and positive impact on the surrounding area.
Akobo in Ethiopia is WhyAfrica’s Pick Of The Week
