Interesting that it seems Macron is now being more and more hoisted on his own petard. He seems caught between his 2019 mining stance, his COP26 actions re., protecting the environment and now pragmatic reality (i.e., resource need rcognition stemming from Covid, Ukraine - Russia and Chinese supply chain fears).
Seems that when economic reality smacks politicians in the face they are quick to do modifications of former stances. Look at the EU on their present rush to secure oil and Nat’ gas along with Germany and its coal usage.
So, will Macron ease his stance on Montagne d’Or?
Gold performs critical functions in computers, communications equipment, spacecraft, jet aircraft engines, and a host of other products. Is this Macron's way out to claim a modified mine in FG would be a strategic French necessity; countering ‘other’s dominance in the supply of materials critical to EU commercial and military needs. Such a mining move would be framed within French support for the new green deal which so many environmentalists are behind.
A sale to a gold major would likely be seen as a complete 180 on his orginal stance by environmentalists, but a French involved smaller new energy powered mine footprint in support of the green new deal....?
We will see.
GLTA -
https://twitter.com/EarthsRare Congo President Tells Macron Conflict in East May Delay Election https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-04/congo-president-tells-macron-conflict-in-east-may-delay-election?leadSource=uverify%20wall …Macron met with Lourenco on Friday as part of a four-nation tour to shore up French relations in Central Africa and highlight the importance of the Congo Basin, the world’s second largest tropical rainforest, in the fight against climate change. On Saturday, Tshisekedi and Macron spoke about the protection of Congo’s forests as well as trade and the mining of strategic minerals. Congo is a major producer of copper and cobalt, key metals in the global energy transition. The leaders discussed the support of French geological survey, BRGM, in mapping Congo’s mineral deposits, Tshisekedi said...