According to a chamber of mines estimate, more than 1 million miners now work on at least 350 sites of Africa’s third-biggest gold producer behind South Africa and Ghana.
In a local radio interview, mines minister, Tiémoko-Sangaré, said, “We decided that, from now on, everyone who comes to digging sites must possess an identification card,”
Mali exported more than 16 tonnes of artisanally mined gold in the first four months of this year and on track to export 50 tonnes for the year, equaling industrial output.
Mali has also become an export hub for gold mined in neighboring countries, and a lack of sector regulation has made estimating its true production levels difficult.
Diggers will be required to sell their output to government authorized buying offices located at mining sites, which the authorities hope will boost tax revenue and allow for more traceability.
Mali exported 67 tonnes of gold valued at $2.2 billion in 2016. Of that, over 20 tonnes was considered artisanal exports.
