Burkina Faso Set to Boost Gold Output as New Mines Come Online
Burkina Faso is on track to increase industrial gold production in 2025, driven by the ramp-up of operations at Soleil Resources International’s Youga mine and the anticipated launch of West African Resources’ Kiaka project.
According to Aristide Belemsobgo, Director General of Mines and Geology at the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries, output from large-scale mining operations is projected to rise by 4% to 55.7 tonnes this year.
Gold remains Burkina Faso’s top export earner, a status reaffirmed by junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who took power in a 2022 coup.
However, overall output has declined in recent years due to worsening security conditions, which forced several mining operations to shut down.
Soleil Resources resumed production at the Youga mine in the country’s south last October, Belemsobgo confirmed.
Meanwhile, West African Resources’ Kiaka mine, located in the southeast, is on track to begin production in the third quarter of 2025.
While Belemsobgo did not provide a forecast for artisanal mining, he noted that small-scale operations contributed 8.1 tonnes last year, bringing total national output to 61.5 tonnes.
The expected boost in industrial production could provide the military-led government with crucial revenue to combat a growing Islamist insurgency.
Since taking power, the junta has distanced itself from traditional Western allies and strengthened ties with Russia.
To maximize earnings during times of high gold prices—which recently reached record highs—the government revised its mining code in 2023 to increase royalty revenues.
