Abidjan Workshop Aims to Boost Responsible and Productive Small-Scale Mining

Abidjan, April 29, 2025 – The Minister of Mines, Petroleum, and Energy, Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, chaired a workshop on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Abidjan, focused on developing innovative strategies for a responsible and productive small-scale mine.

“This workshop will mark a decisive turning point in the development of innovative, inclusive strategies tailored to our local realities, with the goal of building a responsible, productive small-scale mining sector fully integrated into the socio-economic and environmental development of our mining industry,” emphasized Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly.

According to him, this ambition aligns with the vision of President Alassane Ouattara, who aims to make the mining sector one of the country’s main sources of wealth, with benefits that will be felt both through the country’s international influence and the improvement of living conditions for the Ivorian population.

He noted that although production from small-scale mining increased from 392 kg in 2022 to 730 kg in 2024, it still only accounts for 1.2% of national mining output, estimated at 59 tons in 2024.

The Minister also lamented that small-scale mining is often associated with illegal gold panning and its consequences—such as insecurity, disruption of the socio-economic fabric, and environmental degradation due to the use of often harmful substances.

The workshop will focus on assessing the current situation by highlighting the sector’s strengths and weaknesses, and identifying the economic, social, environmental, and institutional challenges involved. It will also aim to identify the major obstacles to formalizing and sustaining small-scale mining, while promoting best practices in operations, traceability, taxation, environmental preservation, and community management. The meetings, scheduled to last three days, will conclude on Wednesday, April 30.