Posted on 11/26/2005 5:32:18 PM PST by SBD1
Global News Wire Africa Analysis
February 5, 1999
LENGTH: 294 words
HEADLINE: AND THEN THERE WERE THREE...: FRANCEVILLE, GABON.
BODY: Cogema's closure of the Mounana uranium mine near here leaves sub--Saharan Africa with only three producers of radioactive material -- Niger, Namibia and South Africa (where it is a by--product of gold mining; Africa Analysis, no.307).
With uranium prices depressed, and unlikely to pick up in the immediate future, Cogema (Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires de France) has abandoned plans for a short--life open--pit operation at the nearby Mikouloungou deposit, which contains an estimated 1,100 tonnes of uranium. Mounana's 150--strong workforce, already shrunk from almost 300 five years ago, now faces redundancy.
Cogema has now put up for sale all the mining and processing equipment of Compagnie des Mines d'Uranium de Franceville (Comuf), in which it holds 68% stake. (The government has 25%, via French equipment contractor AEC.) This includes an entire 2,000 tonnes/day processing plant. AEC says all items are less than ten years old and have been maintained to French industry standards.
Gabon remains a major producer of manganese and has large unexploited iron ore and phosphate deposits. But the main prospect for a new operation lies with the UK's Reunion Mining; it hopes to develop niobium reserves at Mabounie, 200km from Libreville but already served by the TransGabonais Railway.
A feasibility study for production of 4,000 tonnes a year of contained niobium is almost complete. This should confirm that the ore will need only light crushing before separation of a pyrochlore concentrate for production of ferro-- niobium. Demand for the metal is holding up well, with the London Metal Exchange quotation for columbite (with a minimum of 65% combined niobium--tantalum) remaining in the $2.80--3.20 range since 1997.
From a post by BIGDOG on the strata-sphere.com blog
So lets recap. Joseph Wilson, takes a trip to Niger at the behest of the CIA, to investigate “uranium-related matters” separate from Iraq. According to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report on pre-war intelligence, Wilson “was selected for the 1999 trip after his wife mentioned to her supervisors that her husband was planning a business trip to Niger in the near future and might be willing to use his contacts in the region.” Niger’s former prime minister Ibrahim Mayaki meets with an Iraqi delegation wanting to discuss “expanding commercial relations.” Mayaki interprets this as an interest in uranium, Niger ’s main export, and later tells Wilson that he did not discuss it because Iraq remained under UN trade sanctions. (Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Report on Prewar Assessment of Iraq Intelligence, 39, July 2004).
Furthermore Joe Wilson and his clients consists of African governments, ones he used to be a US representative to, including Niger. It is clear from the African Government wording that Joe was hired by Niger to help with trade. It is clear from Niger’s history that Wilson was more than likely in Niger, meeting with Mayaki and Wanke, when the Iraq delegation attempted to make contact for trade in June of 1999.
I wonder who bought this equipment and the processing plant? Maybe Joe Wilson went to Niger to meet with COGEMA and finalize a deal to purchase the Gabon plant with the cooperation of the Gabon government which owned 25%. This explains why the constant diversion referencing Niger when Niger was never mentioned by the administration or the British. The only mention of Niger comes from the fake documents which were produced to distract from the Gabon connection to Wilson, CIA, and uranium.
Let's not forget that COGEMA played a major role in the Oil for Food scandal as well. France seems to be poping up all over this "Bush Lied" perpetual deception being portrayed in the MSM.
SBD
Hmmmmm,
sumthin` fishy about this joey boy.
It's nothing to do with the question of whether Wilson was involved, but since this article appeared the price of Uranium has skyrocketed. Some people think uranium mining will be an even better bet than gold--which has also skyrocketed.
If Joe Wilson got a piece of this mine, that might explain how he paid for that fancy sports car.
sumthin` fishy about this joey boy.
I'll say !!!
There doesn't appear to be much here since you haven't tied Wilson to COGEMA or Gabon and haven't tied Iraq to either Wilson, COGEMA, or Gabon.
I recall hearing john loftus on the john batchelor show (WABC) stating that Iraq was getting uranium from spent mines that were closed down.No paper trail.
Fodder for a Congressional hearing, or just more jibber-jabber?
Wilson is tied to Gabon as he was the former ambassador. Wilson is tied to Iraq when he became the last American to speak to Saddam after the Kawait invasion. As for Cogema, if his clients were looking for Uranium, he would have to deal with Cogema. In addition, Valerie recommended him for the Niger trip because of his ties with France and the consortium, IE Cogema.
SBD
Aha...another piece of the Joe Wilson puzzle falls into place.
And Wilson's second wife is French and worked/s are a spy of sorts; or did. She is still part of the French government.
Yet another Joe Wilson puzzle piece.
WARNING: I heard Wilson is going to be on 77 WABC Monday morning with Curtis and Kuby.
Because of the relatively high cost of extracting uranium from [Niger] mines as compared to lower-cost operations in Canada, the mines operate at a loss. They exist solely to provide uranium to the countries which participate in the consortium. The mines currently produce a total of 3,000 metric tons of uranium per year.
Thanks!
Welcome!
Let's go back to stating the obvious. Iraq's 1999 mission was interested in yellowcake, because Niger doesn't produce anything else. Wilson's 2003 New York Times article was intended to help the Kerry campaign. Whatever he knew about Iraq and yellowcake, it wasn't in that article.
June 23,2005 Jacqueline Marylene Giorgi Wilson was an adviser to the President of Gabon.
Hey, Fedora...look at what BARLF found out about Joe's French wife; wifey # 2! LOL
http://www.theafricachannel.com/corporate/news_062305_bs_p.html
I thought I found it on FR but maybe not. Ping me if the link doesn't work.
Your welcome
BAF
Hey, Fedora...come over here and use the link!
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