The ODHD/LCP published a report in June 2026 evaluating Mali's artisanal gold production and its impact on the well-being of the population. The study covered 14 circles in the regions of Kayes, Koulikoro, Sikasso, and Bougouni, with nearly 500 active sites in May 2025. These areas had a total population of 2.6 million inhabitants, representing 36% of their region's population and 11.6% of Mali's population in 2022.
During the 2024-2025 campaign, artisanal gold production in Mali reached nearly 16 tons, valued at approximately 698 billion FCFA. The report states that 13,084 individual exploiters and groups of gold miners exploited 56,151 wells. The sites in Koulikoro had 18,939 wells, while Bougouni had 15,393 wells, Kayes had 21.3% of the wells, and Sikasso had 9,819 wells.
The report also found that 141 sites, or 37.4% of the sites, reported that the host commune receives taxes on gold production. However, 236 sites across the four regions do not pay taxes to the host commune, with 86.4% of these sites planning to take measures to collect these taxes. In Kayes, 98.6% of sites plan to take measures to collect taxes.
The study identified the presence of informal police, known as "Tomboloma," on 379 sites, covering 98.7% of the sites. These informal police have 14,783 members, with an average of 39 members per site. The report also found that the "Tomboloma" capture around 73% of the total revenue, while the "Daman tigui" receive a smaller share, representing around 27% of the revenue collected.
The report estimated that the total amount of revenue collected by the "Tomboloma" and "Daman tigui" is over 2.5 billion FCFA, with 99.6% going to the "Daman tigui" and "Tomboloma," and 0.4% going to local authorities. The study also found that artisanal gold mining supports around 20 other economic activities, including baking, commerce, and transportation.
According to the report, the artisanal gold sector employs around 495,000 people, including 13,000 individual gold miners and group leaders. The study estimated that the revenue per gold miner is around 1.4 million FCFA. However, the report also highlighted the environmental impacts of artisanal gold mining, including air pollution, soil degradation, and water resource degradation, which negatively impact biodiversity.
The report noted that mercury is the most frequently used chemical product in 87.9 sites, while cyanide is used exclusively in the Kayes region. The study concluded that artisanal gold production in Mali has significant economic benefits but also poses environmental and social challenges that need to be addressed.
Key points
- Mali's artisanal gold production reached 16 tons in 2024-2025, valued at approximately 698 billion FCFA.
- The sector employs around 495,000 people and supports 20 other economic activities.
- The report highlights the need to address environmental and social challenges associated with artisanal gold mining in Mali.
