Following independence in 1968, Soviet and French geologists found potential deposits of gold, bauxite, tin, tungsten, and coltan.
[3] Artisans using placer mining techniques retrieve gold from rivers in Río Muni, primarily the areas of Cogo, Aconibe and Mongomo.
The Equatoguinean government believes that at least 2.3 tons of gold were collectively produced from these small operations.
[1] In 2006, the United States Geological Survey reported that about 200 kg of gold were produced in Equatorial Guinea.
[1][3] The government reports that evidence of the presence of coltan (columbite-tantalite, a tantalum ore) has been found near Aconibe and Akamiken.