Ivory Coast's gold production has increased tenfold since the end of the political crisis in 2011, surpassing 50 tonnes in 2023. The country is aiming much higher and wants to rank among Africa's top gold producers, like Ghana, which reached 114 tonnes in 2023.

Ivory Coast is targeting a gold production of 62 tonnes in 2025, up from 58 tonnes projected for 2024. This was stated by Jean-Claude Diplo at the end of his term as head of the Ivorian equivalent of the Chamber of Mines, adding that the goal is to reach a production level similar to Ghana’s by 2030, while surpassing the results of Mali and Burkina Faso.

The statements by the president of the Professional Group of Miners of Ivory Coast (GPMCI), reported by Reuters, come just a few months after the Ivorian Minister of Mines expressed a similar ambition. Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly stated in June 2024 that Ivory Coast should produce at least 100 tonnes of gold annually over the next five years.

In 2023, Ghana’s gold production exceeded 4 million ounces (approximately 114 tonnes). To reach a similar level of production, Ivory Coast is relying on the launch of new large-scale mines, such as the one under construction in Koné, 350 km northwest of Yamoussoukro.

Scheduled to begin operations in 2027 and become the country’s largest gold mine, it is expected to produce up to 349,000 ounces per year. Also noteworthy are the mines that have started operating in recent years, such as Lafigué, Abujar, and Séguéla, as well as promising gold projects still in the exploration phase.

It is worth noting that Ivory Coast’s official gold production in 2024 already exceeds the figures recorded that same year by the industrial mines of Mali (52 tonnes) and Burkina Faso (47.7 tonnes) as of the end of November 2024. However, it is not possible to determine whether Ivory Coast has indeed surpassed its two neighbors, as artisanal production in all three countries is difficult to estimate.

To achieve its goals, the Ivorian government will have to face the challenge of better organizing the artisanal sector so that it fully contributes to national production. According to SWISSAID, between 30 and 40 tonnes of gold produced through artisanal and small-scale mining leave the country illegally each year.

Article source: ecomnewsafrique