(Ecofin Agency) - During the second quarter of 2023, Mali imported $5.2 million of explosives and pyrotechnics. With a growing need for these materials in its mining sector, the country seeks to enhance its role in the production process.

Mali could soon have its first civil explosives plant. The African country has partnered with the Chinese Norinco Group, through its subsidiary Auxin Chemical Technology Ltd, to this end. The news was disclosed on November 16, 2024, by the national channel ORTM. 

The new production unit aims to give the Malian government better control over explosives for mining and quarrying. Under the agreement with Norinco, Mali will own 51% of the plant, while Norinco will hold 49%. According to Mali's Minister of Economy and Finance, Alassane Sanou, the Chinese company fully finances the project, in addition to providing its expertise. 

Mali is the top gold producer in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) zone and has rich mineral resources like manganese, iron, and lithium. Mining these resources typically requires industrial explosives, which Mali currently imports. Data from Mali's National Institute of Statistics shows that the country imported CFA3.280 billion ($5.28 million) of explosives in the second quarter of 2023. The following quarter, the figure rose to CFA2.641 billion.

The project with Norinco thus aims to promote local content in mining by integrating local labor and expertise into the production chain. It aligns with the goals of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to gain better control over the value chain of their mineral resources for greater economic and social benefits. 

Mali's Minister of Mines, Amadou Keïta, stated, “With a civil explosives production company, we are creating jobs and adding value to our economy.”

The project is expected to take 12 months to complete, though the funding amount has not been disclosed.