In 1928, Jean Epinat, a French industrialist visiting Morocco, discovered copper arsenates being sold for domestic uses on traditional stalls in Jemaa El-Fna square in Marrakech. At that time, the inhabitants of the Bou-Azzer region used Cobalt arsenate minerals as insecticides and for pest control against rats. At his request, the inhabitants took Jean Epinat to the Bou-Azzer depression. He discovered outcrops with seams of a range of minerals, in the form of oxides, arsenites, carbonates and arsenides. The economic potential of the cobalt at Bou-Azzer and the creation of the CTT (Compagnie de Tifnout Tighanimine) mark the beginning of the activities there. In 1934, the ONA holding company was created and was active in various sectors, notably mining. In 1996, Managem was set up to manage all of the mining activities for ONA (which became Al Mada in 2018) .

The first steps

1928

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1928

Discovery of the Cobalt deposit at Bou-Azzer.

1930

1930

1930

Creation of the CTT company and opening of the Bou-Azzer mine specialising in the production of cobalt concentrate.

1934

1934 Creation of ONA

1934

Creation of ONA, Omnium Nord-Africain, a holding company operating in the mining sector.

Beginning of diversification

1932

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1932

Development of manganese mining projects in Aoulouz Start of prospecting work for iron in Tanguerfa.

1942

1920

1942

Beginning of manganese working in Tiouine.

1949

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1949

Creation of the Société des Mines de Bouskour to work a copper deposit located in the Ouarzazate region.

1954

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1954

Acquisition of a stake in a company mining lead in Kasbat Tadla.

1961

1961

1961

Creation of the SAMINE Fluorite company.

1969

1920

1969

Creation of the Société Métallurgique d’Imiter (SMI) and start of reclamation of the silver-bearing spoil heads at Imiter.

1976

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1976

Development of the copper deposit at Bleida.

Modernisation of the activity

1981

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1981

Start of copper project in the Bleida mine.

1983

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1983

Start of engineering and R&D business, through the creation of Réminex.

Acceleration and organization

1992

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1992

Start-up of the polymetals mine in Hajar.

1996

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1996

The mining business of the ONA holding company becomes Managem Acquisition of the SMI Start-up of the hydro-metallurgy and cobalt mine spoil heaps processing activity at Bou-Azzer

1997

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1997

Start-up of production of cobalt cathodes using hydro-metallurgical reclamation of concentrates from Bou-Azzer mine.

African ambitions

1997

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1997

Acquisition of stake in SEMAFO, a Canadian exploration company.

2000

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2000

Stock market listing of Managem

2001

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2001

Start-up of the Akka gold mine

2002

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2002

Beginning of gold mining in Guinea.
 Start-up of the zinc oxide production unit on the Guemassa site.
Increase of Group stake in SEMAFO to 52%.

2004

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2004

Start-up of the polymetals mine in Draa Sfar.
Beginning of gold activities in Niger.

2005

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2005

Sale of the majority stake in SEMAFO
Creation of Manatrade, in charge of marketing and commercial activities

2006

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2006

Creation of the LAMIKAL company in Democratic Republic of Congo.

2007

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2007

Start-up of Copper production in the Akka mine.

2008

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2008

Acquisition of permit in Sudan.

Ramp-up

2011

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2011

Increase in capital of Managem and opening up to the group’s employees.
Creation of Manadist to reinforce the Group’s trading structure.

2012

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2012

Start-up of gold production at Bakoudou in Gabon.

2013

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2013

Beginning of production of Copper at Jbel Laâssal and Silver in the extension project at Imiter.
Launch of the waste processing plant in the Guemassa polymetals plant.

2014

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2014

Beginning of Copper production in the Oumejrane project. Start-up of the SMI plant extension.

2016

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2016

Agreement with Wanbao Mining for copper projects in the DRC.Partnership with Avocet Mining PLC for the Tri-K Gold mine in Guinea

2017

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2017

Acquisition of a prospecting permit in Ivory Coast Launch of extension works for the Gold plant in Sudan.
Extension of the SMI plant in Morocco.