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07/19/2004:

"MAURITANIA: Oil, copper and gold exports to start in 2005"

NOUAKCHOTT, 19 Jul 2004 (IRIN) - President Maaouiya Ould Taya has announced that Mauritania will start to diversify its mineral exports next year, when its first offshore oilfield comes on stream and exports of copper and gold from a new mine in the western desert are stepped up.

Since independence from France in 1960, this desert state of 2.5 million people has relied mainly on exports of iron ore mined in the northwest of the country and fish caught in its rich Atlantic waters.

However, the Australian company Woodside Petroleum announced in January that it would go ahead with the commercial development of its Chinguetti offshore oilfield at an estimated cost of US$600 million. Ould Taya said the Chinguetti field, which is expected to produce 75,000 barrels per day, would ship its first export consignment of crude oil at the end of 2005.

Full Article : irinnews.org