(Ecofin Agency) - Burkina Faso, recognized as one of Africa's leading gold producers, hosts operations by several major international mining companies including Canada's Iamgold and Orezone, Australia's West African Resources, and West Africa's top gold producer, Endeavour Mining.

As of December 31, 2022, six industrial mines in Burkina Faso have not paid their contributions to the Mine Rehabilitation and Closure Fund (FRFM), according to a report presented to the Council of Ministers on February 14 by the Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Quarries. These contributions amount to CFA7.53 billion (about $12.26 million), we learned. The report did not disclose the names of the mines or the 49 industrial quarries that are also behind in their contributions.

The FRFM, funded by companies operating industrial mines as well as those managing semi-mechanized mines and quarry substances, had resources totaling CFA57.13 billion as of December 2022. These funds are allocated to the rehabilitation and closure activities of the country's mines.

In response to the challenges in collecting the resources, the Council has directed the relevant ministers to take specific actions, including the creation of FRFM accounts for industrial mines lacking them and the revision of legislative and regulatory texts governing the fund's operation.

It is noteworthy that the importance of an effective mine closure and rehabilitation process cannot be overstated, as it is crucial for mitigating the mining industry's impact on the environment and local communities. Poorly managed mine closures can lead to the encroachment of artisanal miners on the sites and deteriorate the living conditions of local communities. In Niger, for example, civil society has been raising concerns since 2021 about the potential contamination of groundwater in the Agadez region following the closure of the Akouta uranium mine by French company Orano.