Korean Aid to Help Unearth Cameroon’s Mineral Resources

Cameroon's new mineral research center will begin operations this year.
South Korean mining researchers are making trips to Cameroon to determine the overall cost of the facility, to be located in the capital, Yaounde.
They say the center will cost several millions of dollars and will ultimately be offered to the Cameroon government as a gift.
The research center will be manned by scientists who will identify rock samples collected from across the country. They will use sophisticated equipment to conduct detailed¹ studies.
Divine Jr.
Artisanal diamond mining in Cameroon
The Korean investors² say the facility will also have geological engineers to help in the design and construction of mines -- and economic geologists³ to determine the commercial feasibility of projects. They will decide whether there are enough minerals to justify⁴ the cost of a mining venture.
Choi Jong Ho the director of the Energy, Climate Change and Environment Division in the Korean Ministry⁵ of Foreign Affairs and Trade says, "we'll not only build the laboratory, and train the personnel but we'll receive your experts in Korea and train them in several stages (shifts). We'll also teach your personnel to operate the research laboratory so that after two years, you could run your laboratory by yourself.
Archeologists say Cameroon, with a surface area of 475,000 sq km, has huge reserves of gaseous⁶, liquid and solid mineral resources.
The government say more than 50 varieties of minerals have been identified in large enough quantities for viable⁷ commercial exploitation. They include uranium for nuclear energy, and two minerals in high demand by South Korea: bauxite⁸ for the aluminum⁹ needed for automobiles¹⁰, and iron ore for cell phones and heavy equipment.
For several years, Cameroon's mineral wealth has been lying fallow, with most of the operations left in the hands of small-scale and artisanal exploiters.
Experts blame red tape as well as sluggish¹¹ exploration and exploitation. They add that until a few years ago Cameroon heavily relied on its petroleum¹², which accounted for half of its exports.
With potential oil deposits becoming harder to find, the government has been trying to attract investors in other minerals.
But it's been a slow process of complications in obtaining mining permits and inadequate¹³ infrastructure¹⁴, including roads, railways and ports. The most important problem is the absence of geological and mining data over large portions of the country.
Calistus Fuh Gentry¹⁵ is secretary of state in the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Technological¹⁶ Development. He says the Korean laboratory will make strides in exploring and sizing up the country's mineral potential.
He says , " 60 percent of what is under is yet not known. To do anything, you need to send samples outside the country. Sometimes, it takes three months and it is very expensive. With this national laboratory, we are going to increase exploration for the rest of the national territory and companies doing exploration in Cameroon who are going to be able to develop their projects faster and it's going to cost less."
Critics see the Korean gift as a way to win preferences in mineral exploitation permits, as Cameroon seeks to diversify¹⁷ its oil-driven economy, the largest in the Economic Community of Central African States.
Several global mining giants are ready to invest in anticipation¹⁸ of a spike¹⁹ in demand this year. Among them are China's Sinosteel, the USA-based Hydromine and Australia's Sundance Resources.
They are in partnership²⁰ with the Cameroon government, which is the major stakeholder in existing mining companies.
The agreement was signed in December, and the government has issued about to 90 exploration permits.
Records from the prime minister's office show that the country holds over 750 million tons of bauxite reserves, 200 million tons of iron ore, 736 carats of diamond reserves and vast reserves of cobalt, nickel, manganese, gold, uranium and hydrocarbons²¹.
A number of exploratory ventures that were delayed by the economic downturn will resume this year. And the government has announced new spending on infrastructure. It is concluding studies aimed at building a new deep port on the Atlantic, in the tourist town is Kribi, railroads to link up the mines and the ports and hydroelectric dams to run power plants.
Cameroon has 20 million inhabitants, with 70 percent of them unemployed²².
The government says not only will the agreement promote infrastructure development, but also the minerals sector²³ offers the best chance of improving the country's economic outlook with job creation.

1 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

2 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

3 geologists   

地质学家，地质学者( geologist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Geologists uncovered the hidden riches. 地质学家发现了地下的宝藏。
• Geologists study the structure of the rocks. 地质学家研究岩石结构。

4 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 gaseous   

adj.气体的，气态的

参考例句：

• Air whether in the gaseous or liquid state is a fluid.空气，无论是气态的或是液态的，都是一种流体。
• Freon exists both in liquid and gaseous states.氟利昂有液态和气态两种形态。

7 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

8 bauxite   

n.铝土矿

参考例句：

• Aluminum is made from bauxite.铝是从铝土矿中提炼出的。
• The United States was vulnerable to shortages of chrome,bauxite,and platinum.美国的弱点是缺少铬、矾土和铂。

9 aluminum   

n.(aluminium)铝

参考例句：

• The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
• During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。

10 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 sluggish   

adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的

参考例句：

• This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish.这种湿热的天气使人感到懒洋洋的。
• Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.脚部的循环比手部的循环缓慢得多。

12 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

13 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

14 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

15 gentry   

n.绅士阶级，上层阶级

参考例句：

• Landed income was the true measure of the gentry.来自土地的收入是衡量是否士绅阶层的真正标准。
• Better be the head of the yeomanry than the tail of the gentry.宁做自由民之首，不居贵族之末。

16 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

17 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。

18 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

19 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

20 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

21 hydrocarbons   

n.碳氢化合物，烃( hydrocarbon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Hydrocarbons (HC), like carbon monoxide, represent unburned and wasted fuel. 碳氢化合物(HC)像一氧化碳一样，为未燃尽的和被浪费掉的燃料。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• With this restricted frequency range it is not applicable to hydrocarbons. 这个较紧缩的频率范围不适用于烃类。 来自辞典例句

22 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

23 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。