A three-year geological survey of Northeastern Uganda has revealed high prospects of globally sought-after high-value minerals like iron ore, copper, gold, and limestone.
The survey was jointly funded by the Government of Uganda and Spain in the entire Karamoja region and Lamwo District in the Acholi sub-region.
In 2021, the Ugandan government contracted a Spanish airborne geological surveyor, Xcalibur Multiphysics, to conduct an airborne geological survey and geological mapping of the Karamaja region and neighbouring Lamwo District.
The primary objective was to acquire, process, interpret, and deliver high-resolution data on the region’s mineral potential.
Handing over the data to the Ugandan government on January 30 in Kampala, the Chief Executive Officer of Xcalibur Mulyiphysics, Victor Gonzalez, said: “This data is expected to be one of the most comprehensive airborne geophysical data sets on the African continent”.
Uganda’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa, said they achieved 100 percent data acquisition and believe the findings will attract significant investments in the mineral sector and contribute to the country’s economic development.
Said Nankabirwa: “The survey is a key component of our efforts to increase investment in mineral exploration and has provided us with valuable data on the mineral potential of northeastern Uganda”.
The survey completes the National Geological Map of Uganda, which now includes the geophysical and geological atlases of both Karamoja and Lamwo District, and feeds into the Geological Survey Strategy of Uganda.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Irene Pauline Batebe, said the data will be integrated into existing national geophysical data to find opportunities for the development of the energy and mineral sector in northeastern Uganda.
“The project has provided valuable data on the mineral potential of northeastern Uganda, indicating high prospects for minerals such as iron ore, copper, gold, and limestone, which are expected to attract significant investments in the mineral sector and contribute to Uganda’s economic development,” she said.
Batebe said the ministry will engage stakeholders, including investors, local communities, and government agencies, to ensure significant progress and equitable distribution of benefits.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals, Humphrey Asiimwe, said the results mean Uganda now has a homogeneous map of geological features, which helps attract investments in mineral exploration and development.
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