Canadian corporation Falconbridge

Uganda said Tuesday that it is looking for expressions of interest from investors to reopen a massive copper mine in the country’s western region, which also has large cobalt resources.

Government geologists believe that the Kilembe mine, located in the foothills of the ice-capped Rwenzori mountains on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has around 4 million tones of ore containing 1.98 percent copper and 0.17 percent cobalt.

Uganda’s finance and mining ministers said in a joint statement:

“We have invited companies to express their interest in partnering with the government through a mineral production sharing agreement.”