ROBEX: An innovative strategy

In West Africa, it is common practice to talk directly to community members to get a better understanding of the villages surrounding a mine.

Mines have a bad reputation when it comes to the environment. We believe this image belongs in the past, and we’re hoping others see it that way too. The reality is that even in Western countries, societies and citizens only recently became conscious of the need to protect the environment.

The Nampala mine relies on the hard work of employees and subcontractors from many backgrounds: 600 Malians, 7 Canadians, some Togolese, Burkinabe, Central Africans, Ivorians, one Malagasy and a few French citizens. The mine has nearly 240 direct hires, while other employees are hired through subcontractors.

While the Robex Group does its best to ensure that exploration operations at the Nampala mine last as long as possible, many mines cannot operate indefinitely.

During the construction of the mine, it was a constant battle to ensure the best safety conditions for the mine’s employees and the subcontractors’ personnel.

At the time the Nampala project was being implemented, Mali was experiencing conflict in the northern part of the country. Since then, peace agreements have been signed to foster stability, but widespread volatility has overtaken the south and has spread into Burkina Faso.