The latest data from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) show that the country produces not only gold, but also manganese, nickel, bauxite, and diamonds.

Gold dominates

Gold is the main mineral resource produced in Côte d’Ivoire. Output has more than doubled over the past decade, rising from about 24 tons in 2015 to 58 tons in 2024. Around ten industrial mines are currently in operation. The largest in terms of production is Ity, operated by Endeavour Mining. With the commissioning of the Lafigué mine in 2024, Endeavour now operates two assets in the country, as do Perseus Mining, with Yaouré and Sissingué, and Allied Gold, with Bonikro and Agbaou.

According to the 2022 EITI report, gold exports from Côte d’Ivoire’s industrial mining sector reached 47.58 tons, generating CFA1,189 billion in revenue, or about $2.17 billion. The country hosts an estimated 600 tons of gold reserves, and their exploitation is expected to accelerate in the coming years. The government is targeting annual production of 100 tons by 2030.

Nickel

Côte d’Ivoire holds an estimated 260 million tons of lateritic nickel potential. Production has increased sharply, rising from 379,800 tons in 2017 to about 2.84 million tons in 2023, representing an average annual growth rate of 36.7%. Output is currently dominated by Compagnie Minière du Bafing (CMB).

Manganese: eighth-largest producer globally

Despite the strong growth of its gold sector in recent years, Côte d’Ivoire does not yet rank among global leaders and stood as Africa’s seventh-largest gold producer in 2024, according to the World Gold Council. The country plays a much more prominent role in manganese. Exports reached 990,195 tons in 2022, generating CFA52.25 billion in revenue, according to EITI data.

Côte d’Ivoire ranks as the world’s eighth-largest producer of manganese, a mineral used mainly in steelmaking and increasingly in electric batteries. As of end-2024, four mines were in operation, with additional projects under development to tap into the country’s estimated manganese potential of 12 million tons.

Bauxite and diamonds

Côte d’Ivoire holds an estimated 11 million carats of diamond reserves, but production remains entirely artisanal. After peaking at 20,235 carats in 2016, valued at about $1 million, two years after the lifting of a United Nations embargo on exports, output fell sharply to 867 carats in 2024, according to figures from the Kimberley Process.

Through Lagune Exploitation Bongouanou, the country also produces bauxite, which is exported to the Chinese market. Output reached 54,963 tons in 2022.

Beyond these active value chains, Côte d’Ivoire’s subsoil contains other resources that are not yet exploited. Exploration work has identified deposits of iron ore and copper, as well as critical minerals such as lithium, coltan, cobalt, and certain rare earth elements. These resources, sought after for digital technologies and the energy transition, are attracting growing interest from mining companies, and several exploration permits have already been granted. Their development could further strengthen the contribution of the mining sector to the national economy.

Emiliano Tossou