About Bugeco S.A. Its past Bugeco is an internationally recognised independent consultancy registered in Belgium in 1989. It was originally established in partnership with Union Minière in order to carry out mineral exploration and associated desktop evaluations. Union Minière was bought out in 1995 when it decided to concentrate its efforts on specialised metallurgy and to abandon its mining activities, leaving Bugeco to pursue its activities as a completely independent consultancy. Until 2002 Bugeco was involved in traditional consultancy services for geological, hydro-geological and environmental purposes on behalf of a wide range of clients, which can be seen under the ‘projects’ section. These clients include a number of both major and junior mining companies, as well as the Belgian Government (Technical cooperation with emerging countries), World Bank, Sysmin (EU), EIB, IFC and private banking institutions for whom it carried projects in Africa. It was in this context that a Bugeco team headed by Dr. Pierre Goossens (founding Director) discovered the Morila gold deposit in Mali. As a consequence of this, Bugeco has accumulated a great deal of geological data and has enviable political and mining contacts throughout sub-Saharan Africa, with particular emphasis on Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Republic of Congo (RC), Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania and Namibia. Its present Exploration: Bugeco has a wholly owned Congolese (DRC) subsidiary that owns diamond exploration licences in Kasai Province. The original prospecting licences obtained in 2003 covered an area of 20,000 Km2. A great deal of work has been carried out at great expense in a joint venture with De Beers. Much of the original licence area has been relinquished in accordance with DRC legislation. The current area of approximately 1,000 Km2 hosts a cluster of 10 kimberlites with micro-diamonds that have been discovered and are now being analysed for value. Bulk sampling has not yet been done. In addition to this, Bugeco, together with its partner Swala Resources Plc, has signed a Heads of Agreement with a Major mining company to explore a major geological feature identified by Bugeco believed to have significant PGM, base metals and nickel potential. Licence applications are pending. Consulting and Brokerage As a consequence of its experience, contacts and understanding of political and administrative processes in DRC, and having a permanent office in that country, it offers a service as representative to companies seeking assistance a lower cost alternative to having their own expensive head office in Kinshasa for the application and maintenance of licences, advice mining, environmental and fiscal aspects of local legislation, essential contacts with Provincial Authorities etc.) It has, through its network of ‘Associates’, an extraordinary wealth of contacts in the African mining environment – not only with exploration and mining companies but also with governments at all levels. As a consequence it has been called upon to act as intermediary or broker to find investment or technical solutions, and this has taken on a momentum to the extent that it has now developed this service as a very discreet ‘niche’ brokerage service (that is not advertised other than on this website). In a deteriorating financial environment several junior mining companies, unable to raise necessary equity finance for development or working capital purposes, are seeking strategic partnerships where Bugeco’s contacts and experience can be of value.