More systematic exploration and exploitation took place in the colonial era and continues up to the present, although civil war and militia attacks have periodically disrupted operations and have caused several changes of ownership of the concessions.
The basement was exposed several times to heat influxes during polyphase tectono-metamorphic episodes that mobilized hydrothermal fluids.
[1] Exploitation of the Kamituga deposits by Minière des Grands Lacs Africains (MGL) began in 1932.
[8] The merger was completed in March 1976, when Sominki took over Syndicat Miniere de l'Etain (Symetain).
[11] In February 1997 Banro signed a convention with the Zaire government under which Sakima took over Sominki's mining projects.
In early 2018 a Canadian court allowed the Banro's main creditors to become its senior shareholders as part of a rescue plan.
These were Baiyin International Investment[a], controlled by the Chinese government, and Gramercy Funds Management of Connecticut, USA.
For MGL, it was difficult to halt such ‘illegal’ activities as artisanal miners and traders were to a certain extent protected by local political and customary elites.
[20] In April 2019 Banro said it would soon start an infill drilling program, which would continue into 2020 and would be followed by a feasibility study.
[21] The Namoya Mine is in Kabambare Territory of Maniema,[22] It is at the south end of the Twangiza-Namoya gold belt.
[24] Mai-Mai militiamen, who believe that blessed water can protect them from bullets, periodically attacked the Banro properties.
[25] In June 2020 Banro Corporation agreed to sell the mine to a consortium that included Baiyin International Investment and Shomka Resources.