▁the ▁Niger ▁River ▁and ▁the ▁border ▁with ▁Bur k ina ▁F aso , ▁and ▁art is anal ▁gold ▁min ing ▁has ▁previously ▁taken ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁The ▁Nam aga ▁con cess ion ▁upon ▁which ▁the ▁Mine ▁was ▁built , ▁is ▁hoped ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁first ▁mine ▁to ▁produce ▁gold ▁from ▁the ▁T era ▁green stone ▁bel t ▁which ▁surr ounds ▁K oma ▁Bang ou , ▁the ▁country ’ s ▁largest ▁art is anal ▁min ing ▁site . ▁K oma ▁Bang ou ▁was ▁first ▁discovered ▁by ▁O NA RE M ▁( l ' Office ▁National ▁des ▁Resources ▁Min ier es , ▁the ▁Niger ien ▁government ' s ▁min ing ▁company ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 .< ref ▁name = us gs 9 4 >" The ▁Min eral ▁Indust ries ▁of ▁Africa ". ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁Min er als ▁Year book . ▁U . S . ▁Ge ological ▁Survey ▁( August ▁ 2 0 0 7 ). ▁This ▁article ▁incorpor ates ▁text ▁from ▁this ▁U . S . ▁government ▁source , ▁which ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁public ▁domain .</ ref > ▁ ▁S ML ▁cons ort ia ▁The ▁mine ▁is ▁operated ▁by ▁Mor oc can ▁head qu arter ed ▁S ML ▁( So ci ete ▁des ▁M ines ▁du ▁Li pt ako ), ▁a ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁between ▁Canadian ▁Soci ete ▁S ema fo ▁Inc SE MA FO : ▁Niger ▁Oper ations ▁. ▁and ▁Canadian ▁E tr us can ▁Resources ▁In cor por ated . ▁Both ▁companies ▁own ▁ 8