Gabon Revokes 52 Mining Licences as Government Tightens Control of Gold Trade

Gabon has cancelled 52 mining titles following a government audit, with several gold permits among those affected. The decision gives authorities an opportunity to reconsider who can operate the concessions as the country moves to bring more gold production into the formal economy.

The Ministry of Mines completed its review on 16 October after launching the audit in June. The government said the revoked titles would return to the public domain, although the areas cannot necessarily be issued to new operators immediately.

The review followed a nationwide suspension of small-scale gold mining activities in June, triggered by the dismantling of an illegal mining network in Ngounié province. Authorities have since scrutinised mining operations for regulatory breaches, including cases involving companies that held exploration permits but allegedly extracted gold without paying the applicable taxes.

Mines Minister Sosthène Nguema Nguema told local publication Les Échos de l'Éco that some companies had surrendered exploration permits after claiming they had found nothing, despite having already conducted mining operations.

State-Owned Miner Could Benefit From Licence Revocations

The cancelled permits could create opportunities for new operators, including Société équatoriale des mines (SEM), Gabon's state-owned mining company.

A decree issued in 2023 gives SEM the right of first refusal over areas affected by mining licence revocations. It can also enter partnerships with other operators to develop projects.

SEM has been expanding its mining interests. In September, the company announced three mining agreements and secured additional licences, including the Mboumba permit.

The government lifted SEM's own suspension on 7 September after an audit, allowing it to resume operations. Restrictions remain in place for small-scale operators who have not received authorisation to restart their activities.

However, the transfer of revoked concessions will have to follow the procedures set out in Gabon's 2019 Mining Code. Operators have 60 days after notification to appeal a revocation, and an appeal filed within that period suspends enforcement. The code also requires a waiting period of more than three months after the publication of certain deposits' return to the public domain in the Official Gazette before new licences can be issued.

These provisions could delay the reassignment of the 52 mining titles.

Informal Gold Output Remains Difficult to Measure

The government is also trying to address the gap between officially reported gold production and estimates of output outside the formal sector.

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative reported that Gabon produced 425 kilograms of gold officially in 2023. In contrast, Swiss organisation SWISSAID estimated informal production at between one and two tonnes annually in 2024.

Authorities have cited the financial cost of the unregulated trade. In June, they referred to a National Parks Agency estimate that illegal gold trading deprives the country of nearly 75 billion CFA francs, or about $127 million, each year. The agency did not publish the methodology behind the calculation.

The figures illustrate the difficulty of establishing how much gold is extracted and sold without passing through official reporting and taxation systems.

New Rules Would Route Gold Through National Refinery

Gabon already has a Gabonese Gold Collection Centre and a national refinery with a stated annual processing capacity of seven to 10 tonnes.

The government plans to require domestically produced gold to pass through the refinery and restrict transactions to authorised trading centres. The measures are proposed under a new Mining Code that has not yet been adopted.

The policy comes as gold prices have climbed sharply, increasing the value of production that escapes official channels. Gold has more than doubled in price since 2020 and has traded around $4,000 per ounce.

The government has revoked the licences, but its proposed sales controls still depend on the adoption of the new Mining Code. The refinery's stated capacity is seven to 10 tonnes a year, while official gold production was reported at 425 kilograms in 2023.