While the highlight of 2023 at the Ministry of Mines was the appointment of Yacouba Zabré Gouba on 17 December 2023 to replace Simon Pierre Boussim as head of the Ministry, a number of reforms were carried out at the Ministry, including the creation of the National precious substances company (Société nationale des substances précieuses – SONASP), and the drafting of a law on local content in the mining sector. The year 2023 was also marked by the withdrawal of exploration and mining licences.
Among the many reforms of 2023, it is worth noting the development of the State’s mining assets, the process of cleaning up the mining cadastre, reforms to mining regulations through the initiation of a process aimed at providing the country with a new Mining Code, a new law on the marketing of gold and other precious substances, and a law on local content in the mining sector. The creation of SONASP, the launch of the construction of a gold refinery, and the setting up of a plant to treat mining waste are also reforms that Burkina Faso can look forward to in calendar year 2023.
In terms of operating licences, the government has both granted and withdrawn operating licences. In 2023, the Council of Ministers authorised the withdrawal of licences for the Perkoa, Guiro, Yéou and Kalsaka mines. In May 2023, Poura Gold Operation SA’s application for a licence to operate a large industrial gold mine was granted. This year saw the sale of 2 State mining assets, for the industrial operation of the Tambao manganese mine and the industrial operation of the large Inata gold mine, to the Turkish company Afro Turk.
Tiba Kassamse OUEDRAOGO
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