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
1928
Discovery of the Cobalt deposit at Bou-Azzer.
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, Omnium Nord-Africain, a holding company operating in the mining sector.
Beginning of diversification
1932
1932
Development of manganese mining projects in Aoulouz Start of prospecting work for iron in Tanguerfa.
1942
1942
Beginning of manganese working in Tiouine.
1949
1949
Creation of the Société des Mines de Bouskour to work a copper deposit located in the Ouarzazate region.
1954
1954
Acquisition of a stake in a company mining lead in Kasbat Tadla.
1961
1961
Creation of the SAMINE Fluorite company.
1969
1969
Creation of the Société Métallurgique d’Imiter (SMI) and start of reclamation of the silver-bearing spoil heads at Imiter.
1976
1976
Development of the copper deposit at Bleida.
Modernisation of the activity
1981
1981
Start of copper project in the Bleida mine.
1983
1983
Start of engineering and R&D business, through the creation of Réminex.
Acceleration and organization
1992
1992
Start-up of the polymetals mine in Hajar.
1996
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
1997
Start-up of production of cobalt cathodes using hydro-metallurgical reclamation of concentrates from Bou-Azzer mine.
African ambitions
1997
1997
Acquisition of stake in SEMAFO, a Canadian exploration company.
2000
2000
Stock market listing of Managem
2001
2001
Start-up of the Akka gold mine
2002
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
2004
Start-up of the polymetals mine in Draa Sfar.
Beginning of gold activities in Niger.
2005
2005
Sale of the majority stake in SEMAFO
Creation of Manatrade, in charge of marketing and commercial activities
2006
2006
Creation of the LAMIKAL company in Democratic Republic of Congo.
2007
2007
Start-up of Copper production in the Akka mine.
2008
2008
Acquisition of permit in Sudan.
Ramp-up
2011
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
2012
Start-up of gold production at Bakoudou in Gabon.
2013
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
2014
Beginning of Copper production in the Oumejrane project. Start-up of the SMI plant extension.
2016
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
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.
