Burkina Faso is rich in minerals. But a large part of these minerals remains unexploited.
More than 15 minerals are listed in Burkina Faso, according to the 2020 report of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in Burkina Faso. They include gold, zinc, copper, manganese, phosphate, limestone, iron, bauxite, nickel, titanium, dolomite, antimony, graphite and marble. Of these, gold is the most widely exploited mining resource. What’s more, it is found throughout most of the country.
But the main resources are gold, zinc, copper, manganese, phosphate and limestone. Minerals such as diamonds, bauxite, nickel and vanadium are listed in index form, according to the EITI.
“In addition to the gold, zinc and phosphate mines, there are minerals at many other sites that have not yet been mined, including manganese, copper, limestone, bauxite and others”, the report states.
The report explains that, with all this potential, Burkina Faso’s mining sector is considered to be one of the most dynamic in West Africa. As a result of its performance in recent years, Burkina Faso has gone from being an agricultural country to a mining country, with significant and varied mining potential spread throughout the country.
“The development of the mining sector has been achieved through increased investment and the opening up of industrial mines, accompanied by changes in the legislative and regulatory framework for mining activities”, also reads the EITI report.
It is important to note that mining activity in Burkina Faso is governed by Law no. 036-2015/CNT of 26 June 2015 on the Mining Code of Burkina Faso.
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