Gold at Mandiana (Guinea)

Abstract [Anglais]

Artisanal mining of gold is a great business opportunity in Guinea. The annual production of gold (10,000-25,000 kg) attests the country’s gold potential. Artisanal mining of gold is mainly practiced in High Guinea, especially in Mandiana area. More than 50 mining permits are granted to mining companies in this area.  In this area located in the northeast of Guinea, an area is reserved for formal artisanal mining. This type of operation requires authorization from the authorities for plots of 0.5 ha. The application for the exploitation authorization is reserved for Guineans according to the Guinean mining code of 2011. The latter can seek technical and financial partners for mining operations. The feasibility of this type of operation has been assessed in this report. According to the results of the study, the area reserved for artisanal mining is already partially occupied by artisanal gold miners. Analysis of Landsat 8 OLI satellite images (taken in January 2019) shows that this reserved area is made up of 34% vegetation (plantation or natural forest), 16% of surface mining and 5% of underground artisanal mining of the area (totaling 731 ha). The price of gold (US $40) and the quality of gold (21-23 carrat) and the average grade of ore from the area (0.5 g/t) in the area are very favorable to operations. Using these parameters, we modeled the profitability for several daily productions. We should have show that it will only take 40 tonnes of ore to earn US $124 per day, so US $32,000 in interest for a year. Expenses include the base salary for a team of 19 members and the amortization of mechanized operating equipment over a year. After the amortization period, earnings can increase to more than US $500/day.

Key words : Gold, panning mining, Guinea, Mandiana, Landsat 8 OLI

Realised from 22 November 2019 to 09 January 2020

by

Lancine KANTE¹ Sékou Magassouba² Aboubacar CISSE³ Youssouf DIABY⁴

1. Engineer Geologist, Université Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah à Fès, Maroc, kantemou@gmail.com +224 623 21 72 65.

2. Engineer Geologist, Institut de Boké, Guinée, magassoubasekou1@gmail.com +224 628 16 89 02.

3. Engineer Geologist, Institut de Boké, Guinée, cisseaboubacar276@gmail.com  628 36 83 84.

4. Agricultural Economist Engineer, ANKARA UNIVERSITY, Turky, youssoufdiaby1949@gmail.com  +90 545 637 84 01.