In July 2022, industrial production of fine gold amounted to 4.005 tonnes, down by 16.1% compared to June 2022. This data comes from the report on the monitoring of economic and development indicators for July 2022, published by the Directorate General for the Economy and Planning (DGEP). At the end of July 2022, total fine gold production was 34.445 tonnes, down by 11.6% compared to the same period a year earlier.
This decline is explained by the closure of several mines, including Youga, Natiana, Ouare, Karma and Taparko, due to insecurity.
In addition to gold, Burkina Faso produces zinc. With the closure of the Perkoa mine following the flood of 16 April 2022, zinc production was zero in June and July 2022. At the end of April 2022, total zinc production was 46,787.900 tonnes, down by 21.7% compared to the end of April 2021.
The decline in gold production will have an impact on the mining sector’s contribution to the national and local economies. This impact will be accentuated by the decline in the price of an ounce of gold, which continues the downward trend that began in April 2022, standing at 1,738.8 US dollars in July 2022, after peaking at 1,478.4 dollars in March 2022. It is 5.3% lower than in June 2022. Year-on-year, it is down by 3.7%, according to the DGEP.
