As illegal gold mining continues to raise concerns over environmental damage and lost public revenue, Côte d’Ivoire’s legal small-scale mining sector is seeking to present itself as a more structured alternative capable of creating jobs and supporting local communities.
At Koun-Fao, in eastern Côte d’Ivoire, Eburnie Gold Fields says it has created more than 100 direct jobs, including permanent employees and daily workers. The company has also highlighted its financial contributions and community investments since beginning operations in 2022.
According to figures cited by the Groupement des entreprises minières de Côte d’Ivoire (GRAMCI), Eburnie Gold Fields has generated more than 1 billion CFA francs in taxes, community projects and site rehabilitation since 2022.
The amount includes about 300 million CFA francs in taxes and other payments, nearly 200 million CFA francs in ad valorem tax, around 375 million CFA francs allocated to community projects and approximately 180 million CFA francs for the rehabilitation of the mining site.
The figures illustrate the argument being made by the legal mining sector: that formalised small-scale operations can generate employment, contribute to public finances and return part of the mining revenue to communities, while operating under regulatory and environmental requirements.
The issue has taken on greater importance as authorities continue to confront illegal gold mining, which has been associated with land degradation, water pollution, uncontrolled excavation and significant losses of revenue for the state and local communities.
GRAMCI has called for greater support for legal small-scale mining and rejected the idea of a blanket moratorium, arguing that formalisation could help bring more miners into the regulated economy.
Eburnie Gold Fields has also promoted environmental rehabilitation and community development as part of its operations. The company was recognised at Côte d’Ivoire’s 2024 National Excellence Awards in the small-scale mining and quarrying category.
The broader challenge for Côte d’Ivoire is to turn its gold resources into sustainable economic opportunities while limiting the environmental and social costs associated with illegal mining.
For the country’s small-scale mining industry, the message is increasingly clear: legal mining is seeking to compete not only on gold production, but also on jobs, taxes, environmental responsibility and benefits for surrounding communities.