Ivory Coast is experiencing a boom in both legal and illegal artisanal gold mining, with the government vowing to eradicate the latter within six months. The illegal mining has damaged the environment and the health of locals, and helps finance jihadists and armed groups in the neighbouring Sahel region. A gaping hole in the ground dug by a hundred prospectors is all that is left of an illegal gold mine in Ivory Coast. The government has condemned the illegal mining as a "scourge" and has taken steps to tackle the issue.
The government has toughened prison sentences to up to 20 years, stepped up surveillance measures, and increased the number of brigades deployed to combat illegal mining. Local authorities have intensified their warnings, with local official Gueu Georges Gombagui telling AFP that "to put an end to illegal gold mining, we have to stamp out all forms of complicity". His region of Marahoue is among those most pockmarked by artisanal pits, with around 15 mines identified.
The local authorities have urged villagers to "denounce" prospectors and their accomplices, with Gombagui telling around 100 local officials to watch over their villages. The regional mining and geology director, Souleymane Sanogo, has taken aim at a climate of indulgence that allows irregular miners to thrive. He identified owners letting their land, youths delivering fuel to run mining machinery, and certain officials in both Ivory Coast and abroad financing illegal mines.
Despite the government's efforts, everyone on the ground denies having a hand in the trade. The interim leader of Baziafla village, David You Bi Bolou, said that while they hear the noises of prospectors at work, "we don't have the strength necessary to go and interrupt them". Women are recruited to wash away the mud to reveal nuggets of gold, but the head of the village women's association, Jacqueline Djangone, denies ever having done so herself.
The deputy leader of Baziafla's youth organisation, Michael Gohore Bi Vro, acknowledged that illegal prospecting is an activity that young people get into because "there's nothing else to do". However, he also noted that the damage caused by illegal mining to the land, especially due to the chemicals used for extracting gold, is a major concern. "We can't grow anything anymore," he said.
The damage caused by illegal mining has even spread to Lake Kossou, Ivory Coast's largest lake and an important source of water for the region. The prospectors dump their toxic waste back in the lake, causing harm to the environment and the fish that live there. Gombagui, the prefect, noted that "the fish are no longer able to reproduce" due to the pollution.
Artisanal prospectors began mining gold illegally on a large scale in Ivory Coast in the 2000s, during a time of violent political crises. Since then, the mining business has boomed, with official gold production nearly quadrupling from 13 to 51 tonnes between 2012 and 2023. The government has attempted to clamp down on clandestine prospecting, with nearly 4,500 people brought before the courts on irregular mining charges since 2021.
Key points
- The Ivory Coast government has vowed to eradicate illegal gold mines within six months.
- The government has toughened laws and increased surveillance to combat illegal mining.
- Illegal mining has damaged the environment and helps finance jihadists and armed groups in the neighbouring Sahel region.
