BMS Minerals - Origin & History

BMS Minerals Ltd was incorporated in Uganda in 2001 as a mineral exploration company, holding several Exclusive Prospecting Licenses (now called Exploration Licenses under the new Mining Act, 2003) in Karamoja District of Northern Uganda.

The three founding partners, Peter Bateman, John Morley and Paul Sherwen (hence B-M-S) brought together a powerful combination of experience and skills through their associations with drilling, construction and mining companies. Their vast knowledge of the East Africa region, all three of them having been raised in Kenya and Uganda as far back as the 1960's, brought a variety strengths to the company at the time.

After identifying extensive limestone deposits north of Moroto (the major town in Karamoja district) and then quantifying the reserves, the significant distances from the nearest manufacturing plants failed to demonstrate economic viability at the time, even though it is still believed that in the future they will be viable.

The company then reverted to it's other forte, the installation of infrastructure in remote areas. Clients included Tilda Rice, Kakira and Kagera Sugar plantations, where roads and complex drainage systems were installed. BMS was also involved in the exploration and development of the Davies Reef in the eastern Uganda Gold belt.

The company has proved time and again that it is not afraid to work in "remote and hostile" areas, aptly illustrated when it accepted a job to build the security roads in Northern Uganda around Gulu, at the height of the LRA conflict.

When two oil exploration companies, Heritage and Hardman Petroleum, wanted to bring their heavy drill rigs into western Uganda, they contacted BMS Minerals Ltd. BMS installed the drill base for Heritage's first drill site as well as building all the gravel access roads. They later constructed, in record time, an access road down the Western Rift Valley escarpment to the Hoima site to be used by Hardman, the first road ever to be built into this remote and geographically challenging area.

As soon as Hardman were on site, they required major infrastructure to be installed, which BMS is still providing today. This includes top-of-the-range "bush-equipped" heavy-duty vehicles, off-road ambulances, road building, accommodation, communications (including high speed internet access) and the provision of skilled Ugandan support personnel.

Since the resignations of Peter Bateman and John Morley, who left to pursue other ventures in gas and oil exploration in Botswana and Uganda respectively, the company appointed long term Uganda resident Jerry Burley, ex-Umeme (formerly Uganda Electricity Board), as the new Managing Director to continue it's aggresive expansion program. His training, experience and management skills will allow the company not only to continue to grow but to maintain its first class service provision in all areas that it is contracted to do so, while understanding that delays in operations quickly correlate to rising costs and negative effects on profits which, particularly in the exploration business, can both be substantial.

Paul Sherwen continues with his active involvement in the business as financial advisor and non-executive director.

BMS strives to be "the one-stop logistics provider which also provides big back up".