The American mining group Gerald Group has regained control of Soremi Investments, owner of the M'Fouati industrial complex in the Bouenza department, in the Republic of the Congo. The operation puts an end to a long-standing dispute with China National Gold Group Hong Kong (CNG), which held 65% of the company's capital.
The announcement was mentioned on 24 September in Brazzaville, during a meeting between President Denis Sassou N'Guesso, the Chargé d'Affaires of the United States Embassy in the Congo, Amanda Jacobsen, and Greg Jean, Chairman and CEO of Gerald Group. "We are very pleased to see that Gerald Group is regaining control of the Soremi mine and we hope that this will help to create more jobs and further develop the Congolese economy," stated Amanda Jacobsen.
This takeover comes at the end of a dispute that had pitted Gerald Group against its former Chinese partner for several years. In 2013, the American group had sold a 65% stake in Soremi to CNG.
Seven years later, in 2020, Gerald Group exercised a contractual right allowing it to buy back this stake, following the decision by CNG to sell it. The disagreement over the terms of this transaction subsequently led to several arbitration and legal proceedings.
The dispute finally took a turn in July 2025. The British Virgin Islands courts ordered the amendment of the shareholder register to recognize Gerald Group as the owner of 100% of Soremi Investments.
The decision also noted a violation of court orders by CNG and imposed a fine of 2,5 million USD against it.
An already productive industrial complex
Beyond the settlement of the dispute between the shareholders, the takeover comes while Soremi already has an operational industrial facility. Located in M'Fouati, the complex has been producing copper cathodes and zinc ingots since October 2017.
The volumes achieved in recent years testify to the importance of this unit for the Congolese mining sector. In 2024, Soremi produced 8 234,9 tons of copper cathodes and 15 084,1 tons of zinc ingots.
Over the first nine months of 2025, production stood at 4 134 tons of copper and 8 753 tons of zinc.
The acquisition of Soremi also strengthens Gerald Group's footprint in the Congolese mining sector. The American group already holds a gold exploration permit in the Lékoumou department.
Claude Paul Tjeg
Published on 28/09/26 16:23
The Editorial Staff