Announced by Fousseni Tougela, President of the Mali Chamber of Mines, during the Gold Forum at African Mining Week on Thursday, the new entity aims to increase the number of exploration basins and permits awarded to international partners.

“Mali has developed its mining industry - particularly gold - since 1990, and to remain relevant, we have adopted various measures to increase output,” he stated. “We are issuing more research permits, and in September, we created an agency dedicated to research and development. Its goal is to identify superior exploration targets.”

This milestone follows the early-2026 establishment of Société de Patrimoine Minier du Mali, a state-owned joint-stock company created to manage state holdings and commercial interests across the mining sector.

“We are also granting new exploration permits,” he added. “Recent exploration permits were awarded to a leading company, alongside additional research permits issued two months ago.”

These initiatives include 21 permits announced between August and September 2026.

Beyond R&D and exploration expansion, the West African nation is pursuing strategies to empower and formalize artisanal miners.

Emphasizing the vital role of formalization in driving sustainable growth, Charles Obeng Kwarteng, Senior Finance Manager at Zijin Golden Ridge Limited, presented Ghana as a comparative case study.

“In 2025, small-scale miners contributed 54% of Ghana’s total gold output,” Kwarteng noted. “Even with their success, we still face critical challenges regarding environmental impact, land reclamation, and ESG standards. The government is expanding training initiatives to address these environmental issues.”

Expanding on the necessity of formalization, Hennie du Plessis, Senior Manager of Strategic Business Development (Industrial Division) at Lesedi, highlighted the essential role of government intervention in fostering co-existence between industrial and small-scale operations.

“Large multinationals will continue to drive growth owing to their scale and impact on local and national economies,” du Plessis explained. “Balancing large- and small-scale miners remains a challenge, and governments must actively mediate to bring smaller players into the formal economy. More must be done to integrate them safely and sustainably.”