afrol News, 21 January - Gambian leader, Yahya Jammeh, has announced the discovery of uranium, silicon, titanium, gold and other minerals in The Gambia.

In a televised address, President Jammeh announced the discovery with pleasure.

"I’m pleased to announce that uranium has been discovered in The Gambia. We are capable of exporting our minerals overseas," Jammeh said. "We have enough minerals in this country.”

Holding belief that his country's mineral reserves could be 100% exploitable, Jammeh asked Gambians to remain united and alerted throughout the mining process. He also expressed his government's resolve to jealously protect the precious stones.

The discovery news followed the expulsion of an Australian sand mining mineral group, Carnegie Minerals, in The Gambia last week. Carnegie's expulsion resulted after it had been given a 24-hour ultimatum to "come clean" on its mining activities in the country.

The Gambia government had accused the Australian of exporting unreported minerals from the country and therefore asked its officials to tell the Gambian public about the quantity of mined minerals, the international price of exported tonnage as well as provide assay laboratory results.

The firm, which also hold interests in Niarafang in Senegal, said it had complied with all the terms of its mining licence in the West African country.

However, most Gambians received the discovery news with a pinch of salt. They asked Gambian President to make his 2003 statement of turning The Gambia into an oil producing country into a reality, instead of trading mere rhetorics.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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