(Ecofin Agency) - Côte d'Ivoire, a significant gold producer, also produces manganese, copper, cobalt, and nickel. Demand for these key minerals has grown in recent years, pushing the country to ramp up its exploration efforts.

In a Cabinet meeting held on May 8, in Abidjan, the Ivorian government granted several exploration permits for various critical metals, including cobalt and lithium.

Ivorian Exploration and Research Company SARL received a permit covering nickel, rare earths, cobalt, gold, and chrome in the M'Batto, Toumodi, and Taabo departments. Parnassa Invest SAS obtained a permit to explore for nickel, cobalt, copper, silver, and gold in the Biankouma department. Then, Khaleesi Resources SARL secured a lithium exploration permit in the Agboville and Adzopé departments.

Aside from gold, silver, and chrome, the metals covered by these permits are experiencing increasing global demand, spurred by the energy transition. Cobalt, nickel, rare earths, and lithium are crucial in the electric vehicle industry, while copper and rare earths are highly sought after in renewable energies.

By granting these exploration permits, the government aims to position Côte d'Ivoire as a supplier of these critical metals in the coming years, leveraging potential discoveries of copper, nickel, or lithium deposits. Currently, the local mining sector is dominated by gold mining, with production expected to reach 55 tonnes in 2024, up from 50 tonnes in 2023.