• Mali approves industrial explosives plant with China’s NORINCO subsidiary

• State holds 51% stake; plant to supply mining sector

• Project aims to cut explosives imports after costly 2025 purchases

The Malian government said on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, that the Council of Ministers had approved plans to build an industrial explosives manufacturing plant in the country.

The state will hold a 51% stake in the venture, while Auxin Chemical Technology, a subsidiary of China’s NORINCO group, will finance and construct the facility.

The plant, to be operated under the name FARATCHI-CO SA, will produce commercial explosives for Mali’s mining sector, including gold and lithium extraction as well as quarrying activities.

Mali has introduced major reforms in recent years to tighten its control over the mining industry, including the adoption of a new Mining Code and a local content law in 2023.

In a related move, authorities announced the explosives plant project with Auxin in 2024 as part of efforts to expand the state’s role in the upstream mining supply chain. At the time, Economy and Finance Minister Alousséni Sanou said the plant would take 12 months to complete.

Officials gave no details on the project’s budget or on when construction began, and there has been no public update on progress so far.

The launch of the company could help Mali cut costs linked to imports of industrial explosives. Data from the National Institute of Statistics show the country spent nearly 1.4 billion CFA francs ($2.5 million) on such imports in the second quarter of 2025.

Carelle Tahou