Mining industry of the Central African Republic

The Central African Republic's mineral resource endowment includes copper, diamond, gold, graphite, ilmenite, iron ore, kaolin, kyanite, lignite, limestone, manganese, monazite, quartz, rutile, salt, tin, and uranium.

[3] In 2006, Energem Resources Inc. of Canada continued to focus on the development of suitable diamond prospects within its Bangana, Bria, Kotto, and Quadda concessions in the Haute-Kotto and Bamingui-Bangoran prefectures.

Other companies exploring for diamond included Pangea Diamondfields Plc (Isle of Man), which planned to invest $3.2 million in a bulk sampling plant for its Dimbi (Basse-Kotto) project concession area, and Gem Diamonds Ltd. (UK), which held exploration and mining permits for the Mambéré river project near the city of Berberati.

United Reef Ltd. of Canada obtained the rights to a petroleum exploration permit in the country through a "farm-in agreement" with Denver-based RSM Production Corp. in 2004.

Uranium was discovered in 1966 in the Bakouma region in the eastern part of the country, and there was further prospecting in the Berbérati and Bangassou areas; exploitation has not occurred, because of high start-up costs and poor transportation.