In 2024, Cameroon was the world’s 12th-ranked producer of pumice (pozzolan), accounting for 1.8% of global production. Other mineral commodities produced in the country included aluminum, cement, clay, construction aggregates (stone, sand, and gravel), diamond, and gold. Undeveloped mineral resources included bauxite, cobalt, iron ore, manganese, nickel, rutile, sapphire, tin, and uranium. Nonfuel mineral production remained a small part of Cameroon’s economy in 2024, representing about 0.2% (estimated) of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Cameroon is provided by the Mining Code of 19 December 2023, through law No. 2023/014, and Decrees Nos. 2024/05061/PM, 2024/05062/PM, and 2024/05248/PM to 2024/05253/PM of November 2024. The Ministère des Mines, de l’Industrie et du Développement Technologique (MINMIDT) [Ministry of Mines, Industry, and Technological Development] is responsible for overseeing the activities of the mineral sector. Diamond and gold were produced by artisanal miners and small-scale mining operations. Most other mineral commodities were primarily produced by foreign private companies and (or) Government-owned companies or enterprises.
