Burkina Faso has great potential for transitional minerals. “This potential is reflected in the many uranium, rare earth, platinum, precious stone and base metal showings that have been identified in several regions of the country. Among the base metals are the copper-gold deposits at Diénéméra and Gongondy near Gaoua, the manganese showings at Tambao (Oudalan) and Kiéré, the zinc and silver showings at Perkoa (Sanguié), lead, antimony and nickel, to name but a few”, according to the Ministry of Mines’ General Directorate of Mines and Geology (Direction général des Mines et de la Géologie – DGMG).
These minerals are a key issue these days. Indeed, there is strong demand for base metals and radioactive substances for the transition to green and renewable energies, in particular for the manufacture of batteries.
But Burkina Faso already knows what its subsoil has to offer thanks to a number of studies, including those carried out by the Burkina Faso Bureau of Mines and Geology (Bureau des Mines et de la Géologie du Burkina – BUMIGEB), the Geological and Mining Research Bureau (Bureau de Recherche Géologique et Minière – BRGM), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other bilateral and multilateral partners.
The identification of this potential has been reinforced by current research, which has uncovered significant traces of copper near the Netiana mine (Nahouri) and at Sartenga (Namentenga).
The current strategy for defining critical minerals for Burkina Faso will make it possible to take stock of research into strategic minerals in Burkina Faso and, above all, to select so-called strategic minerals for Burkina Faso before proposing solutions for promoting research into critical minerals in Burkina Faso.
Elie KABORE
#Mines_Actu_Burkina
