Mali gold production stable at 66.5 metric tons in 2023
26/01/2024 17:24
BAMAKO, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Mali's industrial gold
production stood at 66.5 metric tons last year, almost unchanged
from 66.2 tons in 2022, the West African country's mines
ministry said on Friday.
Mali is one of Africa's top gold producers and home to
industrial mines operated by international companies including
Barrick Gold ABX.TO , B2Gold Corp BTO.TO , Resolute Mining
RSG.AX and Hummingbird Resources HUMR.L .
According to the ministry's data, Barrick Gold remains the
country's biggest gold producer, with an output of 23.5 tons in
2023, followed by B2Gold at 20.6 tons and Resolute Mining at 7.3
tons.
With an estimated 6 tons produced in artisanal mines, Mali's
total gold production in 2023 is expected to reach 72.5 tons,
the mines ministry said.
Industrial gold output remained stable year-on-year, failing
to reach the forecast of 67.7 tons announced by a mines ministry
official.
Last November, Mali signed an agreement with Russia to build
a 200-ton-per-year gold refinery in the capital Bamako.
It also adopted a new mining code that will allow the
military-led government to increase its ownership in mining
projects to 35% from 20%.
More than 70 artisanal gold miners were killed in Mali's
southwestern Koulikoro Region last week after the shaft they
were working in collapsed.
Artisanal mining is a common activity across much of West
Africa and has risen in recent years due to growing demand for
metals and rising prices. Deadly accidents are frequent,
however, as these miners often use unregulated digging methods.
(Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian,
editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
((Anait.Miridzhanian@thomsonreuters.com;))