The case between the mining company Essakane and the Burkinabè state was settled amicably after a long legal procedure.
The Prime Minister, Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, received, on Tuesday December 10, 2024, the first gold bars resulting from the processing of the cargo of fine coal from the Essakane gold mine, ceded to the Burkinabe state.
These are 44 gold bars with a total weight of 93.197 kg of high purity, as well as approximately 1.628 kg of slag.
They come from 142.37 tonnes of mining residues after neutralization of arsenic, or 32.31% of the total quantity of cargo delivered.
« This first quantity will be intended to supply the national gold reserve », assured the Head of Government.
The mining residues were treated by the company Golden Hand SA, 40% owned by the State.
For the Prime Minister, it is a mark of promotion of national expertise in the mining sector. “ Never again will our fine coal go outside the country for processing. It will be processed effectively by our chemists, using 100% Burkinabè technology, by our Burkinabe brothers and sisters, in order to contribute to consolidating our economy for endogenous, sustainable and profitable development for all. », declared Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo.
The mining residues were entrusted to the company Golden Hand SA, following a transactional agreement between the company IAMGOLD ESSAKANE SA and the State in December 2023.
At the end of this agreement, in addition to the payment of a fine of 9 billion CFA francs by the company IAMGOLD ESSAKANE SA, it was agreed to abandon, for the benefit of the State, the entire cargo of coal end, subject of the dispute, i.e. in total more than 440 tonnes of mining residues.
In January 2024, the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, inaugurated the activities of the Golden Hand SA mining residue processing plant.
The company GOLDEN HAND SA is 40% owned by nationals for the Burkinabe State and 60% for the national private sector.
DS/ac/APA
