The Burkina Faso Bureau of Mines and Geology (Bureau des Mines et de la Géologie du Burkina Faso – BUMIGEB) gave its version of events on Friday 8 December 2023 in the fine coal trial. Its representative (a chemical engineer) responded to questions from the public prosecutor in relation to the versions of the Essakane mining company.
During previous hearings, Essakane and its lawyers stated that humidity has no impact on the quantity of gold. As such, it is of no importance in the context of this trial. The prosecutor then asked for BUMIGEB’s version.
“Is the moisture content an above-ground variable? In other words, disconnected from the process of calculating the quantity of gold?” asked the prosecutor.
“We can’t disconnect the moisture content from the process because it has an impact on the calculation of the quantity of gold”, replies the BUMIGEB representative.
The prosecutor commented: “Mr. Chairman, there have been attempts to confuse you by saying each time that the moisture content is of no importance, whereas BUMIGEB’s answer is surgically precise: the moisture content is very important”.
During the previous hearings, Essakane also stated on several occasions that it had involved the Burkina Faso authorities in the entire process of exporting fine coal (weighing, providing samples, loading cargo, etc.). The prosecutor wanted to compare this version with that of BUMIGEB.
“Did BUMIGEB agents participate in the various stages of exporting the Essakane fine coal?” asked the prosecutor.
The BUMIGEB representative said that BUMIGEB agents were only involved in the packing stage.
Regarding Essakane’s version that their samples were also sent to BUMIGEB for analysis, the prosecutor asked the BUMIGEB representative to confirm or deny this version, and then to explain how this sample was taken to confirm Essakane’s version.
The BUMIGEB representative confirmed that Essakane had sent them the samples. But he explained that BUMIGEB was not involved in taking the samples.
“When you analyse the samples offered by Essakane, do you compare your results with those of Essakane? the State’s lawyer asked the BUMIGEB representative.
“I’m not aware of that. I can’t answer that question,” he replies.
The State’s lawyer then pointed out to the president of the court that BUMIGEB did not compare its results with those of Essakane, and that Essakane did not even submit their analysis results to BUMIGEB.
“How do you know whether the Essakane results are good, given that you did not take part in taking the samples or obtain the analysis results from Essakane?” asked a REN-LAC lawyer.
“We don’t deal with that. That’s the job of another service,” replies the BUMIGEB representative.
“From the point of view of the scientific approach, in terms of quality, is this the right way?” the prosecutor asked the BUMIGEB representative, referring to BUMIGEB’s handling of the Essakane samples.
“No, that’s not the right way. But we do what we’re asked to do,” he replies.
“We asked Essakane to pass on their sample (on which they carried out their analysis) and they said that these samples no longer exist. Is this a good way of doing scientific analysis?” the prosecutor asked again.
“It’s not a good way of doing things, because when it comes to laboratory analysis, we have to keep a control sample,” he replies.
The prosecutor also pointed out that, in addition to refusing to hand over their sample, Essakane had also refused to provide its sampling protocol.
Finally, the prosecutor explained to the president of the court that the results of the BUMIGEB report were unreliable. They cannot therefore be relied upon in this trial.
It was on the basis of this remark by the prosecutor that the president of the court suspended the hearing. It will resume on Tuesday 12 December 2023.
Georges YOUL
#Mines_Actu_Burkina
