The Malian government has announced that an audit of mining companies operating in the country has resulted in the recovery of 761 billion FCFA in unpaid arrears. The audit, conducted by the Ministry of Mines, aimed to assess the compliance of mining companies with their financial obligations. The recovered amount is a significant boost to the country's economy, which heavily relies on the mining sector. The sector is one of the main sources of revenue and foreign exchange for Mali.
The audit's findings were presented by Minister of Mines Amadou Keïta on October 22. According to Keïta, the recovered amount includes adjusted royalties and unpaid taxes. However, the ministry did not provide a detailed breakdown of the recovered amount by company, the nature of the claims, or the period concerned. The mining sector's performance has been impacted by a decline in gold production. In 2025, industrial gold production stood at 42.2 tonnes, down from 54.8 tonnes in 2024, representing a 22.9% decrease.
The decline in gold production is attributed to the decrease in production at Loulo-Gounkoto, which dropped from 22.5 tonnes to 5.5 tonnes. Despite this, the value of gold exports increased significantly, from 1,610 billion FCFA in 2024 to 2,750 billion FCFA in 2025. Mining companies operating in Mali have made significant payments to the state. In 2025, they paid 940 billion FCFA to the government in gold production revenue. The sector's performance has shown signs of improvement in 2026, with industrial gold production reaching 23.5 tonnes in the first half of the year, up from 18 tonnes during the same period in 2025.
The recovery of unpaid arrears is part of a broader effort to reorganize and improve governance in the mining sector. In November 2022, the government suspended the processing of new mining title applications to review and clean up the mining cadastre. Over 90 exploration permits were canceled in October 2025 due to non-compliance with regulatory requirements. Additionally, three exploitation permits were revoked for non-payment of fees, failure to conduct required work, or non-compliance with other mining code obligations.
The Malian government has also implemented measures to improve transparency and monitoring in the sector. A digital mining cadastre was launched in April 2026, which records over 631 titles and aims to facilitate permit tracking, reduce overlaps, and improve dossier management. The government has renewed 24 exploration permits for gold and lithium between August 21 and September 30, 2026, following a review of administrative compliance, exploration work, expenses, and financial obligations.
The Ministry of Mines has announced plans to enhance monitoring and control of mining activities. The government will conduct regular quarterly briefings on mining code implementation, production, revenue, and title developments. The first briefing is scheduled for January 2027. This move aims to provide stakeholders with timely information on the sector's performance and progress in recovering unpaid arrears.
The recovery of 761 billion FCFA in unpaid arrears demonstrates the importance of thorough monitoring and control in the mining sector. The government's efforts to improve governance, transparency, and compliance are expected to contribute to the sector's growth and increased revenue for the state. The mining sector's performance will continue to be closely monitored, with a focus on ensuring that mining companies meet their financial obligations and contribute to Mali's economic development.
Key points
- The Malian government recovered 761 billion FCFA in unpaid arrears from mining companies through an audit conducted by the Ministry of Mines.
- The mining sector is a significant contributor to Mali's economy, with gold production and exports generating substantial revenue for the state.
- The government has implemented measures to improve transparency, monitoring, and control in the sector, including the launch of a digital mining cadastre and regular briefings on sector developments.
