Please login or register to join our webinar.

E-mail address:
Password:
Forgot your password?
Log in
REGISTRATION
Home > Mining Companies > IAMGOLD > Articles > Camp Caiman, French Guiana
IAMGOLD

Camp Caiman, French Guiana

Mar 27, 2014



Location



 
The Camp Caiman Project is located in northeastern French Guiana, South America. It is about 45 kilometres southeast of Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana. 
 
French Guiana has been a French overseas department since 1946, and as such is subject to French and European law.  It is located in northeastern South America, and shares a border with Suriname to the west and Brazil to the east and south.  French Guiana covers an area of approximately 83,500 square kilometres with a population of around 220,000.
 
The Camp Caiman Project consists of three contiguous exclusive exploration permits covering a total area of 71 km², including the 30 km² mining concession and two adjacent exploration permits: Trésor (20 km²) to the west and Patawa (21 km²) to the east.


History

The Camp Caiman project is a direct result of the French Guiana’s mining inventory, created by the Bureau de recherches géologiques et minières (BRGM) between 1975 and 1995 for the Ministry of Industry.
 
The Camp Caiman area was put up for public auction by the French state through the Regional Bureau of Industry, Research and the Environment in 1994. AGF, at the time a subsidiary of the American company Asarco, submitted the winning bid. AGF completed over 55,600 m of drilling between 1996 and 1999, resulting in the identification of two significant primary gold deposits. An initial feasibility study was completed and an application for a 30 km2 mining concession within the exploration permits was filed in April 1999.
 
In August 2002, Ariane Gold Corp. (Ariane Gold) purchased the shares of AGF through its French Guianese subsidiary, CBJ-France SARL, and its Barbadian subsidiary, Ariane Holdings (Barbados) Inc., for a total of US $16,444,600.  Resource delineation drilling resumed in Steptember 2002. The 1999 environmental impact statement was updated, and a second application for a 30 km2 mining concession was filed on July 23, 2003 with the Direction des Ressources Énergétiques et Minérales( DIREM). On November 29, 2003, Ariane Gold merged with Cambior Inc. and AGF to become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cambior. From that point on, Cambior assumed the financial obligations of Ariane Gold and its subsidiaries for payment of the balance of the acquisition.
 
At June 30, 2005, a total of 140 kilometres of drilling had been completed at Camp Caiman in 1,941 holes, including nearly 82 kilometres of diamond drilling in 713 holes. Of this, nearly 80 kilometres in 1,336 holes were drilled between September 2002 and June 2005 by Ariane Gold and then CBJ-CAIMAN.
 
IAMGOLD acquired the Camp Caiman Project via the Cambior acquisition in November 2006.

 
Milestones
 
1994 Camp Caiman Project acquired by AGF, subsidiary of Asarco after public auction. 
1999 AGF identifies two significant primary gold deposits and completes a feasibility study.
2002 Cambior acquires the Camp Caiman Project through subsidiary.
2006 IAMGOLD acquires Cambior and its Camp Caiman Project.
2008 The application to begin construction of the project is refused by the French Government in anticipation
2008 of a moratorium on all mining and exploration activity.
2009 IAMGOLD initiates litigation against the French Government at the Administrative Tribunal in French
2008 Guiana, challenging the improper denial of the Company’s mining permit and seeking compensation for
2008 damages in the amount of 275 million Euros. The Company records a non-cash impairment charge
2008 of $88.8 million for the net carrying value of the Project.
2010 The Administrative Tribunal orders the French Government to issue a more reasoned permitting
2008 decision. The French Government provides more detailed reasons and again denies to issue a mining
2008 permit. IAMGOLD files a second permitting appeal.
2012 In February, the Administrative Tribunal dismisses the second permitting appeal and the compensation
2008 claim. In May, IAMGOLD appeals the decision to the Administrative Court of Appeal in Bordeaux and
2008 increases the compensation claim to 763 million Euros to account for higher gold prices.

Source: http://www.iamgold.com/English/Operations/Development-Projects/Camp-Caiman/Overview/default.aspx

Latest news
IAMGOLD Announces Filing of Early Warning Report in Connection with Dundee Precious Metals' Proposed Acquisition of INV Metals
IAMGOLD Provides Update on Operations
IAMGOLD Shareholders Elect Board of Directors
IAMGOLD Reports First Quarter 2021 Results, Generates $102 Million in Operating Cash Flow; Côté Construction on Track
IAMGOLD Announces Sponsorship of Key Community Initiatives
View More News
Magazine
March 28, 2014
JP Morgan Global High Yield Conference
Inside this issue
Digital edition
Career Opportunities
Junior Ground Control Engineer
  • Design and supervision of construction of geotechnical and hydrological structures such as foundations, slopes, excavations, diversion ditch, and dams;
  • Investigation of ground instabilities and recommending and designing mitigation measures
Procurement Officer

To purchase materials, goods, and services for all operations, maintenance, and support functions. 
Surveyor

To provide safe and cost-effective survey services, by way of design, plans, and measurement data that communicate critical mining instructions to operators and development results to engineers.
Administrative Assistant, Mill

To provide administrative support and ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the mill office and related activities.
Road Maintenance Supervisor, Mine Operation

The purpose of the Mine Road Supervisor is to ensure all site service roads are maintained year round. 
Supervisor, Mine

The purpose of the Supervisor Mine is to supervise the mine crew and ensure production targets and schedules are met as forecast.
Senior Engineer, Mining

The Senior Mining Engineer takes part in the development of economic studies of mining projects (approach, prefeasibility, feasibility). 
Senior Metallurgist

To ensure optimization of the Mill process is maintained through effective management and technical support to the Operations group as well as external support groups including Mine Technical Services and Mine Operations.
Bilingual Analyst, Global Supply Chain

As a member of the Global Supply Chain (GSC), the analyst will utilize your abilities to provide actionable recommendations to the leaders of the organization.
Superintendent, Mine Maintenance

This position is responsible to manage all maintenance activities including; safety, execution, personnel, budget, planning and continuous improvement.
More Careers