(Business in Cameroon) – The government’s 2026 economic, financial, social, and cultural program reports that the small Colomine gold mine in the East region produced 16,743 grams of gold, or about 16.7 kg. This output reflects the gradual structuring of the gold sector, driven by investments made by Codias SA on the site.
The company, which received a five-year operating permit in September 2022, has built Cameroon’s first underground gold mine. The facility, nearly one kilometer long and dug more than 100 meters below ground, marks a shift from the traditional extraction methods used in the country. “It is the country’s first underground mine, and the first mine currently in operation in Cameroon. The others are still in development or construction,” said Serge Hervé Boyogueno, director general of the National Mining Corporation (Sonamines), during an inspection mission on May 15, 2025.
A model presented as less harmful to the environment
The infrastructure is also promoted for what authorities describe as a more controlled environmental footprint compared with artisanal mining. The head of Sonamines noted a significant improvement in the project’s social and environmental impact relative to current practices in Cameroon’s gold sector.
Authorities say underground extraction at Colomine helps limit land destruction, deforestation, and soil degradation often associated with traditional gold mining, while contributing to the formalization of the value chain.
Amina Malloum
