Ouagadougou:The Minister of Energy, Mines and Quarries, Yacouba Zabré Gouba, praised the initiative to produce compressed and stabilized earth bricks (CTCS) undertaken by the Burkina Faso Mining Participation Company (SOPAMIB) through its subsidiary SOPAMIB Bouboulou SA. This initiative aims to enhance local resources.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the minister expressed his support during a visit to the SOPAMIB stand at the Government Exhibition. He noted that such initiatives align with the vision of Head of State Captain Ibrahim Traoré to transform Burkina Faso's potential into real development drivers.

The project involves manufacturing bricks on the site of the Bouboulou gold mine. Hervé Ouédraogo, a civil engineering technician at SOPAMIB Bouboulou SA, explained that the process uses three materials laterite, cement, and water. Laterite is extracted, crushed, sieved, and mixed with cement and water, then compressed using a hand press to form bricks weighing approximately 7.5 kg.

Ouédraogo highlighted the bricks' benefits, including temperature regulation in buildings and economic and environmental advantages. The manufacturing process requires four days of watering, followed by preservation and resistance tests before use in construction.

The Burkina Faso Mining Participation Company, established in July 2014 and operational by 2024, aims to strengthen state sovereignty and participation in mining. It manages seven mining projects and anticipates expanding to around ten projects in the medium term. The State has also acquired the Boungou and Wahgnion mines and taken over the Perkoa deposit. SOPAMIB is led by Lamissa Barro, appointed on September 19, 2024.