Gabon was a significant producer of uranium, but now faces the end of its exploitable reserves. Gabon has considerable potential for other mining projects. The deposit is located within 10 kms of the navigable Ogooue river. The iron ore mine of Belinga has reserves estimated at 850 million tons of high grade iron ore located south of the Haut Ivindo region on the border between Gabon and Congo. The main obstacle to operating a mine at Belinga is the requirement to build 200 kms of rail spur to link to the Trans-Gabonese railroad.
Gold production is small scale, but the prospects are promising.
Artisan gold-panning is practiced in a few locations in Gabon. Artisan miners near Makongonio in southern Gabon use traditional methods to collect limited quantities of gem-quality diamonds. Some diamonds are as large as three carats. Barites reserves of around 1.2 million tons have been found near Mayumba. Annual demand for barites for drilling mud in the area south of the Gulf of Guinea is about 50,000 tons.