▁development , ▁divers ification , ▁and ▁promotion ▁of ▁the ▁min ing ▁sector ▁have ▁become ▁the ▁government ’ s ▁priority ▁in ▁recent ▁years . ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁foreign ▁companies ▁applying ▁for ▁prospect ing ▁lic enses ▁was ▁increasing , ▁and ▁projects ▁were ▁at ▁various ▁stages ▁r anging ▁from ▁grass ro ots ▁expl oration ▁to ▁mine ▁development . ▁ ▁Str ucture ▁of ▁the ▁Min eral ▁Indust ry ▁The ▁MM i ▁was ▁the ▁government ▁ag ency ▁responsible ▁for ▁en act ing ▁the ▁M ining ▁Code ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁coord ination ▁of ▁all ▁activities ▁in ▁the ▁min ing ▁sector . ▁ ▁La ▁D irection ▁des ▁M ines ▁et ▁de ▁la ▁Gé ologie ▁was ▁the ▁entity ▁responsible ▁for ▁prom oting ▁the ▁min eral ▁sector ▁and ▁for ▁providing ▁ge olog ic ▁and ▁min ing ▁information ▁to ▁potential ▁invest ors . ▁ ▁La ▁D irection ▁des ▁H ydro car b ures ▁was ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁pet role um ▁sector . ▁The ▁Maur itan ian ▁Office ▁of ▁Ge ological ▁Research ▁was ▁the ▁government ▁entity ▁responsible ▁for ▁evalu ating ▁areas ▁of ▁min eral ▁potential ▁for ▁expl oration . ▁▁ ▁La ▁Société ▁N ationale ▁Indust ri elle ▁et ▁M ini ère ▁( SN IM ) ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁iron ▁ore ▁production ▁and ▁benef ici ation . ▁ ▁The ▁company ▁operated ▁a ▁min ing ▁center ▁at ▁the ▁northern ▁town ▁of ▁Z ou er ate , ▁three ▁open ▁pit ▁iron ▁ore ▁mines ▁at ▁Gu el b ▁el ▁Rhein , ▁K edia ▁d ’ Id j ill , ▁and ▁M ’ Ha oud