Burkina Faso: Artisanal gold mining boosts national production to 90,8 tonnes

Burkina Faso reached a new milestone in its gold production in 2025. The country recorded 90,8 tonnes of gold, compared to 60,8 tonnes in 2024, representing an increase of 49,4%. This performance is mainly due to the sharp increase in artisanal production, the volume of which more than quintupled in one year.

According to the 2025 statistical yearbook of the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries, production from artisanal mining increased from 7,1 tonnes in 2024 to 39,1 tonnes in 2025. This spectacular increase contrasts with the decline in industrial production, which fell from 53,4 to 51,5 tonnes over the same period.

This development is largely due to better integration of artisanal gold mining into official collection and marketing channels. Reforms undertaken in the mining sector aim, in particular, to better regulate this activity and reduce the outflow of gold through informal channels.

The increase in production was also accompanied by a rise in mining revenues. These reached nearly 984 billion FCFA in 2025, compared to approximately 591 billion FCFA a year earlier. Exports of gold and other extractive products also increased significantly, strengthening the sector's role in the country's foreign trade.

These results confirm the central role of gold in the Burkinabe economy. They especially highlight the growing importance of artisanal mining in national production, while the government continues its efforts to better control and develop mineral resources.

Yolande Bazié