Democratic Republic of the Congo 1 Congolese franc banknote 1997
Obverse: View of the Gecamines copper mine at left. Monogram of the Central Bank of Congo at center.
Signature: Jean-Claude Masangu-Mulongo (Le Gouverneur).
Reverse: Prisoners Patrice Lumumba and his companions seated with hands tied behind backs.
Watermark: Single Okapi head or multiple Okapi heads repeated vertically.
Colors: Deep purple and blue-violet on multicolored underprint.
Date of Issue: 01 November 1997.
Size: 150 x 70 mm.
Printed: Giesecke & Devrient, Germany.
Congo Democratic Republic Banknotes and Paper Money
1997-2013 Issue
1 Congolese franc 5 Congolese francs 10 Congolese francs
Gecamines
La Générale des Carrières et des Mines, (GCM) often called simply Gécamines or GECAMINES, is a Congolese metals and mineral trading company. A diversified mining organization based in Lubumbashi, it is a state-controlled corporation existing under Congolese law. Founded in 1966 and a successor to the Union Minière du Haut Katanga, Gecamines is engaged in the exploration, research, exploitation and production of mineral deposits including copper, cobalt, tin, gold, zinc, among others. One of the largest mining companies in Africa, and the biggest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gécamines sits on the world's greatest deposit of cobalt and is the eighth-largest producer of copper in the world. Copper mines in which Gécamines has a major interests include, but are not limited to, Kambove, Kipushi, Kamfundwa and Kolwezi.
Located in the mineral-rich Katanga Province, Gécamines is currently going through a $3 billion reorganization Strategic Development Plan (2012-2016) with the main objective of repositioning itself as one of the world's top mining majors, mainly by focusing on core strategic assets in which the company has majority shares. In order to boost its production and regain its lost lustre, it has also recently forged partnerships and joint ventures with companies such as Anglo-Swiss Glencore International, American giant Freeport-McMoran and London-based Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation.