Akjoujt (

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

: أكجوجت) is a small city in western

Mauritania Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a sovereign country in Maghreb, Northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to Mauritania–Western Sahara border, the north and northwest, ...

. It is the capital of the Inchiri region. "Akjoujt" (ɑk'ʤuʤt) means 'wells'. The city's main industry is

gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

and

copper mining Copper extraction is the multi-stage process of obtaining copper from list of copper ores, its ores. The conversion of copper ores consists of a series of physical, chemical, and electrochemical processes. Methods have evolved and vary with coun ...

History

Archeologists have discovered that as early as 1000 BC, copper smelting and mining was occurring in Akjoujt. According to archeologist Nicole N. Lambert, metallurgical traces and discovery sites proves relation between Mauritanian metallurgy and the introduction of

Berbers Berbers, or the Berber peoples, also known as Amazigh or Imazighen, are a diverse grouping of distinct ethnic groups indigenous to North Africa who predate the arrival of Arab migrations to the Maghreb, Arabs in the Maghreb. Their main connec ...

into the western Sahara and the

Sahel The Sahel region (; ), or Sahelian acacia savanna, is a Biogeography, biogeographical region in Africa. It is the Ecotone, transition zone between the more humid Sudanian savannas to its south and the drier Sahara to the north. The Sahel has a ...

. In 1992, the city's old copper mine was repurposed into a gold mine. The company, Mines d'Or d'Akjoujt (MORAK), which was government-subsidized, was using many volatile and dangerous chemicals in the mines, and livestock and other animals in the area began to die. The runoff from the mine was stored in a plastic-lined retention pond and was very close to the city's water supply. Despite warnings that the rainfall in the area could cause the toxic material to spread, the mining continued for four years. MORAK, in order to boost support, offered free drinking water and placed fences around the facility, but had little effect on public opinion. The Mauritanian government allegedly suppressed information regarding the mine's safety issues and MORAK fired employees who reported health problems. The director of health in Akjoujt was transferred to

Nouakchott Nouakchott ( ) is the capital and largest city of Mauritania. Located in the southwestern part of the country, it is one of the largest cities in the Sahara. The city also serves as the administrative and economic center of Mauritania. Once a ...

after he suggested health screenings for miners. The gold mine closed in 1996. As of 2011, the Mauritanian government was planning to expand and rehabilitate the water supply system in Akjoujt and several other cities and towns. Former Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is a native of Akjoujt. Summers in Akjoujt are extremely hot, with temperatures reaching up to 50.0 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).

Sister cities

Akjoujt is twinned with: *

Meram Meram is a municipality and district of Konya Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,822 km2, and its population is 348,325 (2022). Meram is one of the central districts of Konya, along with the districts of Karatay and Selçuklu. It covers the sou ...

Konya Province Konya Province () is a province and metropolitan municipality in southwest Central Anatolia, Turkey. Its area is 40,838 km2, making it the largest province by area, and its population is 2,296,347 (2022). The provincial capital is the city ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

Farhaoui, Fouad. "Two Powers Rising in Mauritania: Turkey and China." Mauritania and Newly Emerging Economies in Africa Turkey and China. N.p.: International Strategic Research Organization, 2013. 46. USAK Report. Web.

References

{{Reflist Inchiri region Regional capitals in Mauritania Populated places in Mauritania