L. Fituni, I. Abramova Resource Potential of Africa and Russia's ...
L. Fituni, I. Abramova Resource Potential of Africa and Russia's ... L. Fituni, I. Abramova Resource Potential of Africa and Russia's ...
The agreement was finally signed during President Medvedev’s visit to Italy in 2011. The document paves the way for the future handover to Gazprom of the 50% of Eni's stake (33,3%) in the consortium developing the Elephant oilfield in Libya, located in Libya's south-western desert some 800 km from Tripoli. The value of the stake to be handed over by Eni to Gazprom is around 170 million dollars. The agreement was still to be signed in the competent sees and then submitted to the approval of Libyan authorities. 49 Weeks later severe unrests disrupted all oil production in the African country. The US and its allies introduced economic sanctions against Libya. The developments in Lybia in early 2011 made the prospects of bilateral cooperation unclear. The mining industry of Morocco plays an important role in the country's economy as a source of currency incomes. The extraction of phosphorites and lead and zinc ores are the main sub-sectors of the national mining industry. Morocco's economic development plans devote much attention to the expansion of the mineral raw-material base, particularly, to the mining of phosphates and non-ferrous and rare metals. The Soviet Union helped to implement those plans beginning from 1967. Soviet specialists carried out extensive and fruitful theoretical and practical work in Morocco and participated in compiling a program of geological prospecting for oil and gas. Besides, Soviet experts have made recommendations on comprehensive geological research on the rare metal deposits in Azegour and Djebilet and given preliminary evaluation of a deposit of combustible shales. As a result of prospecting work conducted with the Soviet assistance in the southern part of Morocco, in the Bou-Azzer district, new industrial deposits of metallic ores have been discovered. The reserves of cobalt in this region are estimated at 13,000 tons of metal in ore. Thanks to a discovery of new deposits of the valuable raw material the mining of cobalt in Morocco, which diminished in the late 1960s, has been restored to its former level. Recommendations drawn up by Soviet geologists on the basis of their research work make it possible for the Moroccan state organization “Bureau de Recherches et de Participations Minieres” (BRPM) to better plan prospecting work for solid minerals, singling 107
out more promising fields. In March 1978, a long-term intergovernmental agreement on economic and technical cooperation in the filed of phosphates mining was signed, which was called a Deal of the Century. Under the agreement the Soviet Union was to take part in the development of the Meskala deposit whose reserves were estimated at 8 to 10 billion tons of phosphorites. The initial productivity of the mine – two million tons of marketable ore; the designed productivity – 10 million tons. The development of the Meskala deposit proceeded on a compensatory basis, on "turn-key" terms. In the post-Soviet period, the relations between the countries were stable though cooperation in the mining sphere was reduced to practically zero level. However, by 2005 Russia became number one oil supplier to Morocco, replacing Iran. President Putin’s visit in 2006 gave grounds to expect that such cooperation may be renewed on a new level. During that visit an agreement on cooperation in the nuclear sphere has been signed, which envisages construction of the first nuclear power plant in Morocco. Most likely the phosphate deposits will become the resource base for the nuclear fuel production. According to an International Atomic Energy Agency study, the country has expressed an interest in recovering uranium from phosphate rocks during fertilizer production. The total uranium reported as unconventional resources, contained in Morocco’s phosphorite deposits in amounts to about 6526000 tU. 50 Russian specialists from “Atomredmetzoloto (ARMZ) Uranium Holding Co” consider these figures to be a conservative estimate of the nation’s existing unconventional uranium resource base. On the territory of Sudan, one of the biggest African countries, Soviet experts have assisted in conducting a gravimetric survey of the Red Sea Mountains covering an area of 130,000 square kilometers and aeromagnetic survey over an area of 100,000 square kilometers. Surface geological survey was conducted in some areas, where new deposits of iron, manganese, gold, gypsum and other minerals were found. In the post-Soviet period Russia’s cooperation with Sudan was minimal. In 2001, it was announced that a Russian-Belarus oil com- 108
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out more promising fields. In March 1978, a long-term intergovernmental<br />
agreement on economic <strong>and</strong> technical cooperation in<br />
the filed <strong>of</strong> phosphates mining was signed, which was called a Deal<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Century.<br />
Under the agreement the Soviet Union was to take part in the<br />
development <strong>of</strong> the Meskala deposit whose reserves were estimated<br />
at 8 to 10 billion tons <strong>of</strong> phosphorites. The initial productivity <strong>of</strong> the<br />
mine – two million tons <strong>of</strong> marketable ore; the designed productivity<br />
– 10 million tons. The development <strong>of</strong> the Meskala deposit proceeded<br />
on a compensatory basis, on "turn-key" terms.<br />
In the post-Soviet period, the relations between the countries<br />
were stable though cooperation in the mining sphere was reduced to<br />
practically zero level. However, by 2005 Russia became number one<br />
oil supplier to Morocco, replacing Iran. President Putin’s visit in<br />
2006 gave grounds to expect that such cooperation may be renewed<br />
on a new level. During that visit an agreement on cooperation in the<br />
nuclear sphere has been signed, which envisages construction <strong>of</strong> the<br />
first nuclear power plant in Morocco. Most likely the phosphate deposits<br />
will become the resource base for the nuclear fuel production.<br />
According to an International Atomic Energy Agency study, the<br />
country has expressed an interest in recovering uranium from phosphate<br />
rocks during fertilizer production. The total uranium reported<br />
as unconventional resources, contained in Morocco’s phosphorite<br />
deposits in amounts to about 6526000 tU. 50 Russian specialists from<br />
“Atomredmetzoloto (ARMZ) Uranium Holding Co” consider these<br />
figures to be a conservative estimate <strong>of</strong> the nation’s existing unconventional<br />
uranium resource base.<br />
On the territory <strong>of</strong> Sudan, one <strong>of</strong> the biggest <strong>Africa</strong>n countries,<br />
Soviet experts have assisted in conducting a gravimetric survey <strong>of</strong><br />
the Red Sea Mountains covering an area <strong>of</strong> 130,000 square kilometers<br />
<strong>and</strong> aeromagnetic survey over an area <strong>of</strong> 100,000 square kilometers.<br />
Surface geological survey was conducted in some areas,<br />
where new deposits <strong>of</strong> iron, manganese, gold, gypsum <strong>and</strong> other<br />
minerals were found.<br />
In the post-Soviet period Russia’s cooperation with Sudan was<br />
minimal. In 2001, it was announced that a Russian-Belarus oil com-<br />
108
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