Sudan expects spike in gold production
March 19, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government announced that the country has produced 17 tonnes of gold during the first two months of 2015.
This compares to 71 tonnes produced in 2014.
Al-Karuri praised his ministry’s policies to regulate mining activities which helped boost output. He said that Sudan aims to be Africa’s top gold producer.
Sudan currently ranks third behind South Africa and Ghana but aims to land in the first place by 2018.
The minister stressed that there are other precious metals beside gold which represent great wealth for Sudan including Iron, Chromium and Phosphate which generated $51 million last year.
He noted the entry of 162 mining companies of which 19 identified gold reserves areas including one believed to contain 700 tonnes.
Gold has become one of Sudan’s largest exports which partially compensated for the loss in oil revenues, which accounted for more than 50% of income until 2011 when South Sudan seceded, thus taking with it most of the country’s oil reserves.
Sudan approved a law to regulate traditional mining by granting licenses and specifying areas to work in to protect them from hazardous conditions and smuggling.
It is believed that traditional mining employs more than a million Sudanese but it is still difficult to obtain credible data.
(ST)