Because of slowness in getting the project started, the Chinese rights may be in 2012 given to Australia's BHP Billiton.
On 14 September 2007 President Omar Bongo Ondimba of Gabon confirmed that a dam would be built at the falls to provide electricity to a large iron mining project in Belinga further north.
According to Ona Essangui, the proposed Belinga development, a $3.5 billion project, was secretly negotiated.