CONGO (Democratic Republic)

CONGO Democratic Republic / République démocratique du CONGO.

25th anniversary of the United Nations. International Cooperation.
Mines in Katanga.
Second stamp in a set of 6, issued on 25.10.1965.
Face value: 8 Congolese francs.
Design: Jean Van Noten (1903-1982).
Printing: Potogravure.
Size: 61 x 26 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 241.
- Scott No. 548.
- StampWorld No. 238.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 587.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 600.

Katanga was one of the four large provinces created in the Belgian Congo in 1914. Katanga was one of the eleven provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1966 and 2015, when it was split into four provinces. Between 1971 and 1997 (during the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko when Congo was known as Zaire), its official name was Shaba Province. The eastern part of the province is considered to be a rich mining region, which supplies cobalt, copper, tin, radium, uranium, and diamonds. Copper mining in Katanga dates back over 1,000 years, and mines in the region were producing standard-sized ingots of copper for international transport by the end of the 10th century CE. After 1900, the Société Génerale de Belgique practically controlled all of the mining in the province through Union Minière du Haut-Katanga (UMHK). In 1960, after the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then called Republic of the Congo) gained independence from Belgium, the UMHK, Moise Tshombe and Godefroid Munongo supported the secession of Katanga province from the Congo. This was supported by Belgium but opposed by the Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba. This led to the assassination of Lumumba and the Congo Crisis, which lasted from 1960 to 1965. The breakaway State of Katanga existed from 1960 to 1963. In 1966, the Congolese central government nationalized the UMHK, under the name of Gécamines.

NAMIBIA

NAMIBIA / NAMIBIË.

Minerals.
Rosh Pinah zinc mine.
First stamp in a set of 8, issued on 02.01.1991.
Face value: 35 South African cents.
Design: J. van Niekerk.
Printing: Offset lithography.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 690.
- Scott No. 682.
- StampWorld No. 23.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 560.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 647.

This mine is located near Rosh Pinah in the ǁKaras Region of southern Namibia, about 20 km (12 mi) north of the Orange River and 50 km (31 mi) east of the Atlantic. It is owned by Trevali Mining Corporation since 2017. German-born Jew Mose Kohan discovered zinc in the nearby Hunz Mountains in 1963. He also coined the name "Rosh Pinah" which is a Hebrew term for "cornerstone". The mine has been in continuous operation since 1969, and it has reserves amounting to 14 million tonnes of ore grading 2% lead and 8% zinc thus resulting 280,000 tonnes of lead and 1.12 million tonnes of zinc. The mine also produces copper, silver and gold as byproducts.

ANDORRA

ANDORRA (French Post).

Llorts Mine.
Stamp issued on 23.04.1990.
Face value: 3.20 French francs.
Design and engraving: Claude Durrens (1921-2002).
Printing: Recess.
Print: 170,358 copies.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 411.
- Edifil No. 407.
- Michel No. 408.
- Scott No. 390.
- StampWorld No. 410.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 426.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 386.

This iron mine is located in the town of Llorts (179 inhabitants in 2017), located at an altitude of 1,430 m (4,690 ft), in the parish of Ordino. It was exploited from the seventeenth century to the end of the nineteenth century. The extracted mineral served to feed the forges and ironworks of Ordino and other parishes of Andorra. In addition to iron ore, pyrite was mined. In 2003 the mine was declared an archaeological zone and included in the cultural heritage of Andorra. The current small mine dates from the 19th century and can be visited.

NEW CALEDONIA

NEW CALEDONIA / NOUVELLE-CALÉDONIE - KANAKY.

Thiebaghi abandoned Mine.
Airmail stamp issued on 23.11.1994.
Face value: 90 CFP francs.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Design: François Guiol.
Printed by Cartor Security Printing, Meaucé (France).

Catalogues
- Michel No. 1024.
- Scott No. C269.
- StampWorld No. 1024.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1027.
- Yvert et Tellier No. PA 326.

In 1877 some scattered deposits of chromite were discovered on the Thiebaghi (or Tiebaghi) plateau, northwest of the island of New Caledonia, at an elevation of 580 m (1,900 ft), and from 1902 to 1920 the mineral was mined in an open pit about 100 m (328 ft) deep and 200 m (656 ft) wide. Chromium was mined underground from 1927, and in 1941 it was the largest mine for this mineral in the world. After several incidents, the mine closed in 1962, and its exploitation resumed in 1982 through another access road to the base of the deposit. The chromite mine closed permanently in 1992, and now nickel ore is mined from the Thiebaghi massif.