Mauritania offers promising opportunities for mining investment in Africa, boasting a largely untapped mineral-rich terrain and a vast 20-billion-ton iron ore deposit. With the GIRM’s adoption of proactive reforms and attractive mining policies, the country produced a staggering 13 million tons of iron ore in 2022, positioning itself to triple this by 2030.  Additionally, the artisanal mining sector’s substantial contribution, amounting to 780-million USD annually and providing around 145,000 jobs, highlights the socio-economic vitality of the industry.  Key players like Kinross Gold Corporation underscore the region’s potential, having amassed a total of 3 million gold equivalent ounces since its entry into the market back in 2010. 

Simultaneously, Australian Aura Energy’s uranium Tiris Project could potentially produce an annual yield of two million pounds of uranium and vanadium.  This endeavor also demonstrates Mauritania’s expanding and diversified mineral portfolio.  Such robust figures and projects, combined with the nation’s strategic vision, position Mauritania as an enticing frontier for discerning investors and businesses in the mining sector.  Recently, the GIRM awarded licenses to local and foreign companies to explore the mineral potential of rare earth elements such as lithium, manganese, copper, gypsum, and other critical minerals.

Resources

For future investors in the mining sector, to better assess existing licenses and availability of non-exploited areas, MPME has issued an interactive mapping of the mining register which displays the license status. Mining Portal.