The mapping project includes training for staff of Mali's National Directorate of Geology and Mines. According to Reuters, the information system is meant to let Mali manage geological data, mineral licensing, and regulatory oversight. The system is expected to enable Mali to handle titles and maps digitally, similar to the existing cadastre platform, SICAM, which was designed by Malian experts and launched on April 17.
Mali's partnership with Moscow has been largely viewed through a security lens, particularly with the arrival of Wagner in late 2021 and the Africa Corps, which has operated under Russia's Defence Ministry since last year. However, these contracts represent a different aspect of the partnership, focusing on the country's mining sector. The contracts' details, such as the price, exact boundaries of the two survey areas, and provisions on data ownership, have not been publicly disclosed.
The question of data ownership and control is crucial, especially considering the existing cadastre platform and the new system designed by a Russian firm. The mining code already limits what the administration may release, with information gathered from title holders staying confidential for the life of the title plus a year. The new agency to research, produce, secure, and disseminate geological knowledge, approved by the Council of Ministers on September 30, will play a role in managing geological data.
Zarubezhgeologia's director-general, Alexey Desyatkin, described the company's work in other African countries, including predictive mapping in the Central African Republic and airborne geophysical surveys in Chad. He stated that the company is ready to sign agreements in Niger to assess hydrocarbons and explore for gold and other precious metals. However, nothing announced so far gives the company exploration rights in Mali.
Mali's mining code gives the state a free stake of at least 10 percent in a new operating company and an option to buy up to 20 percent more. The company must also cede 5 percent to Malian investors through a state company. State and national participation can therefore reach 35 percent, up from 20. The country's mining sector is a significant area of interest, with new applications for titles currently suspended.
The sequence of mapping and exploration, as described by Desyatkin, gives the question of data ownership more weight. The project aims to make information on Mali's mineral resources more accessible and transparent, including for potential investors. However, details on who will have access to the data and on what terms have not been announced.
Key points
- The Russian state firm Zarubezhgeologia will map more than half of Mali and build a national geological information system.
- The contracts' details, such as data ownership and control, have not been publicly disclosed.
- The project aims to make information on Mali's mineral resources more accessible and transparent.
