About
Grande Côte Operations SA (GCO) is a Senegalese mining company that is a subsidiary of the French multinational Eramet Group (90%), with the remaining 10% held by the Government of Senegal. GCO operates one of Africa's largest mineral sands mining operations along the Atlantic coast of northern Senegal, extracting and processing heavy mineral sands containing ilmenite, rutile, leucoxene, and zircon — critical minerals widely used in ceramics, pigments, titanium metal production, and advanced manufacturing. The mine operates a unique mobile dredge system that traverses coastal sand dunes stretching approximately 75 kilometres north of Dakar in the Thiès and Louga regions. Operations commenced in 2014, giving Senegal its first large-scale mineral sands mining industry. Zircon production has averaged 80,000–90,000 tonnes per year in recent years. GCO holds a 25-year exploitation concession awarded in 2006 (valid until 2032), covering multiple deposits including Mboro, Lompoul, Diogo, Fass Boye, and Yodi. GCO is ISO 14001 (environmental management) and ISO 50001 (energy management) certified — the only mine in Senegal to hold both certifications. GCO built significant infrastructure including a 36 MW power plant, a storage terminal at the Port of Dakar, and rehabilitation of a 110 km railway line from Mékhé to Thiès and Dakar to support mineral exports. Eramet Group is a French multinational (Euronext: ERA) managing manganese, nickel, mineral sands, lithium and cobalt assets across 16 countries. Managing Director of GCO is Frédéric Zanklan.
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