The Senegalese Armed Forces successfully dismantled 43 illegal gold mining sites in May 2025 across the eastern region of Kédougou, a critical zone for the nation’s mineral wealth and economic stability.
The military operation – carried out under Operation Orientale 1 by Military Zone No. 4 – targeted sites in the border communities of Bougouda, Bantanko, Fagoudou, Moussala, Moura, and Saraya, all within the strategic Falémé sector bordering Mali.
According to the Armed Forces’ monthly bulletin for May, 47 individuals were arrested and a significant cache of mining equipment – including 77 motor pumps, motorcycles, and generators was seized and handed over to the National Gendarmerie for legal proceedings.
The crackdown comes amid rising concerns over the scale and impact of illegal gold mining in Senegal. The extractive industry remains a key pillar of the national economy, having generated over 236 billion CFA francs in the first half of 2024 alone. Gold production, in particular, accounted for 106,579 troy ounces, valued at more than 154 billion CFA francs, and contributed nearly 30% of sector exports.
Despite this economic weight, a large portion of gold extraction continues to evade formal oversight. An October 2024 study by NGO SWISSAID revealed that between 2013 and 2022, approximately 36 to 41 tonnes of gold – worth between $2.38 and $2.71 billion – were smuggled out of Senegal, often via Mali to the United Arab Emirates. Only an estimated 10% of artisanal gold passes through approved trading channels.
Experts attribute this trend to weak regulation and the 2018 introduction of a 4% export tax, which may have driven miners further underground.
