With gold present in every region of the country, the mining industry has steadily grown in Burkina Faso in recent years, and the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASGM) sector has grown along with it. According to some estimates, gold production from the country’s ASGM sector now even outpaces the industrial sector’s production.
Artisanal and small-scale mining is the primary source of income for a large part of the country’s population, with over 430,000 people directly employed at more than 440 mine sites. The vast majority of those involved in the ASGM sector lack formal education as well as alternative employment options that would provide them with a sufficient level of income to make a living.
Using mercury to separate gold from the ore is a common practice among artisanal and small-scale miners in Burkina Faso. Many are unaware of the negative health and environmental impacts of this practice, but some of the main issues keeping miners from shifting to mercury-free methods are that most are not aware of alternative options, they do not have the initial financial investment needed to purchase better technologies, and they lack training on how to operate and maintain them. Despite government efforts and legislation improvements, the country’s mining regulations also tend to disfavor ASGM operations and have hampered widespread formalization of the sector.
Key Figures from Burkina Faso
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430,000+ people are employed in ASGM
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440+ sites have ASGM activity
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90% of ASGM miners lack a formal education
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50 tonnes of gold are produced by ASGM each year
Burkina Faso’s Approach
The planetGOLD Burkina Faso project worked toward eliminating mercury in the ASGM sector by improving availability of mercury-free technologies, shortening the gold supply chain, and increasing artisanal and small-scale miners’ direct access to the international market.
The project team worked to strengthen policies supporting formalization, established a revolving fund to provide miners with financial incentives to purchase mercury-free processing systems, and developed training courses in collaboration with vocational schools on how to operate these technologies and formalize mining operations.
Key Strategies
Support formalization | 
Help miners access financing |
Educate, raise awareness, and transfer knowledge to the global ASGM community | 
Train national ASGM specialists on implementation and scaling of best practices, including mercury-free technologies and formalization |
Project News
Project Resources
Améliorer la formalisation, l'accès au financement et la traçabilité de l'or artisanal
planetGOLD Burkina Faso French
Afin d'améliorer la formalisation, l'accès au financement et la traçabilité de l'or artisanal, le projet planetGOLD Burkina Faso a créé cette brochure pour fournir un bref aperçu de la législation encadrant régissant le secteur EMAPE au Burkina Faso et, en collaboration avec le gouvernement du Burkina Faso, pour fournir des recommandations sur le cadre politique pour promouvoir et soutenir un secteur EMAPE durable intégrant la protection de l'environnement, la prévention du travail des enfants, la promotion de l'égalité du genre parmi les mineurs, la promotion de la protection sociale, la facilitation de l'accès direct des mineurs aux marchés
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Livret de poche de l’artisan minier
planetGOLD Burkina Faso French
Ce livret a été élaboré pour permettre à l’artisan minier d’enregistrer, au fil du temps, les éléments de son activité en vue d’en garder une mémoire fidèle et exhaustive. Ce livret facilitera in fine l’inclusion financière de l’artisan minier qui d’ordinaire ne tient pas ses comptes de façon structurée empêchant ainsi que d’éventuels financiers puissent disposer d’une base rationnelle pour les accompagner.
Media Gallery
Other planetGOLD countries
planetGOLD project sites in Burkina Faso