The authorities of Burkina Faso have decided to close until further notice 43 artisanal gold mining enterprises in the north-west of the country, which are being attacked by militant groups associated with the terrorist organizations Al Qaeda and Islamic State.
Despite the fact that Burkina Faso has a ban on artisanal gold mining, the authorities are struggling to control this production, which employs more than one million people.
Legal gold mines annually produce about 70 tons of gold, which in ten years has become the first export commodity of Burkina Faso, ahead of cotton.
According to the National Ministry of Mining Industry, about 10 tons of valuable metal are additionally mined in the artisanal sector, jeuneafrique.com writes.
Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished
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