Artisanal mining - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

Mali Bans Small-Scale Gold Mining Permits for Foreigners Amid Safety Concerns 1

Mali has halted the issuance of small-scale gold mining permits to foreign nationals following a series of fatal mining accidents. Interim President Assimi Goïta has directed the government to implement stricter measures to prevent human and environmental disasters, Minister of Security and Civil Protection General Daoud Aly Mohamedinne announced on Wednesday. The new measures include: The crackdown follows a tragic mine collapse in western Mali last month, which claimed the lives of at least 49 people, many of them women. The accident occurred in an open-pit site where individuals were… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Artisanal mining

Justicia ASBL Exposes Mafia-Led Illegal Mining in DRC and Collusion with Republican Guard

February 26, 2025February 26, 2025 Constance0 comment

The Justicia ASBL, an organization dedicated to human rights, humanitarian law, and development, has condemned the illegal invasion of mining concessions and the plundering of Congolese minerals by organized mafia networks involving Lebanese and Chinese expatriates, allegedly operating in collusion with elements of the Republican Guard (GR) in Haut-Katanga and Lualaba provinces. Justicia ASBL specifically highlights the Menda mining site, owned by Boss Mining, a subsidiary of the ERG Group, which complies with Congolese mining tax regulations yet remains a victim of illegal mining operations. The organization reports that Republican… Read More Here

International Artisanal mining

Ghana Faces Billion-Dollar Challenge to Reclaim Land Devastated by Illegal Mining

February 21, 2025February 21, 2025 Constance

Ghana requires billions of dollars to restore vast stretches of degraded land and polluted water bodies caused by years of illegal mining. Professor Nana Browne Klutse, Acting CEO of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), described the situation as an emergency and urged development partners to support the country’s reclamation efforts. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday, Prof. Klutse revealed that a World Bank-funded pilot project had facilitated some land restoration. However, scaling up these efforts requires additional funding. “We have been approached by companies willing to assist with… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Artisanal mining

Civil Society Condemns Large-Scale Illegal Mining by Chinese Firms in Ituri

February 9, 2025February 9, 2025 Constance

Civil society in Ituri province, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has condemned the large-scale illegal exploitation of minerals by Chinese companies operating in Mambasa territory. In an interview on Monday, February 3, 2025, Dieudonné Lossa Dhekana, a civil society coordinator, criticized the illicit activities and highlighted the violation of Congolese mining laws. According to Dhekana, these Chinese firms exploit minerals through cooperatives—an approach that contradicts Congolese law, which prohibits foreign entities from operating through such structures. He expressed concern over the scale of the exploitation and the lack of… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Artisanal mining

DRC Minister of Mines Meets with Delegation to Address Illicit Mining Challenges in South Kivu

February 2, 2025February 2, 2025 Constance

The Minister of Mines recently met with a delegation led by Mr. Davide Marcheselli, an Italian priest based in Kitutu, South Kivu. The delegation, representing the Association for the Defense of Victims of Mining Expropriations (ADVEM), highlighted the challenges faced by local communities due to illicit and illegal mining, particularly gold extraction. Mr. Marcheselli, along with members of civil society and the Catholic and Protestant Churches of Congo, emphasized the severity of the situation in the Mwenga territory. He noted that many companies operating in the region are not legally… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Artisanal mining Cobalt

557 Children Freed from Cobalt Mines in Haut-Katanga Reintegrated into Society

February 2, 2025February 2, 2025 Constance

A total of 557 children previously working in the cobalt mines at the Pumpe quarry in Kambove, Haut-Katanga province, have been successfully reintegrated into society. Joseph N’sambi Bulanda, the provincial Minister of Health and president of the monitoring committee for the PABEA cobalt project in Haut-Katanga, shared that non-formal education is also being integrated into this initiative. “We are collaborating with the village chief to make this happen,” he stated during his visit to the reintegration center in Kyembe village. The children have been placed at the Mwera 1 Institute,… Read More Here

Gold Artisanal mining International Mining safety

Mali Gold Mine Accident Kills 13, Including Women and Children

February 2, 2025February 2, 2025 Constance

Thirteen artisanal miners, including women and three children, lost their lives on Wednesday after a tunnel they were working in flooded at an open-pit gold mine near Danga village in Mali’s southwestern Koulikoro region, the National Union of Gold Counters and Refineries (UCROM) confirmed on Saturday. The disaster occurred when sluice gates from a nearby muddy water reservoir collapsed, sending a surge of water into the tunnel where miners, including women and children, were digging for leftover gold particles. UCROM Secretary General Taoule Camara described the situation as dire.“It is… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Artisanal mining Diamond

DRC Diamond Exports Reach USD 66.4 Million in Q3 2024, Driven by Artisanal Production

January 26, 2025January 26, 2025 Constance

In the third quarter of 2024, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) saw diamond exports generate approximately USD 66.4 million, according to a report from the Technical Cell for Coordination and Mining Planning (CTCPM). The artisanal sector led the exports, with approximately 7.4 million carats exported, yielding an estimated USD 42.8 million in revenue. Export data by comptoir reveals that MALABAR was the leading exporter, accounting for 32% of the total quantity, followed by DIAMAZ with 21%, SAGA at 16%, AMAZONA at 19%, and MIABI at 9%. The MIABI comptoir… Read More Here

Mining in Zambia Artisanal mining

Zambia Army Cracks Down on Illegal Mining Operations in Mapatizya

January 26, 2025January 26, 2025 Constance

The Zambia Army has uncovered an illegal mining operation in the Mapatizya area of Zimba District, Southern Province. During the operation, the army discovered two warehouses where illegal stones were being processed and impounded a truck carrying 28 tonnes of the illicit materials. Zambia Army Commander Lieutenant General Geoffrey Zyeele revealed this development during a courtesy call on Livingstone Mayor Constance Muleabai. General Zyeele clarified that the army’s involvement in combating illegal mining should not be mistaken for an interest in the mining sector. “Our focus is to eliminate all… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Artisanal mining

CAMI Chair Denounces Illegal Mining in Tshopo Province, Promises Reforms

January 25, 2025January 25, 2025 Constance

During a mission to Kisangani, Crispin Mbindule, President of the Board of Directors of the Mining Registry (CAMI), confirmed the illegal exploitation of mining resources in Mangi, Tshopo Province. After verifying reports, Mbindule acknowledged the claims made by civil society. “Indeed, the allegations of illegal mining activities in Mangi are true. We found that several companies are operating without valid permits,” he stated. On Thursday, January 23, 2025, Mbindule met with the president of the civil society in Banalia Territory and the provincial Mining Cadastre directorate to address issues related… Read More Here