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Tuesday, 24th March 2009 (1000 views)

Burkina Faso hopes to increase its gold output to become the fourth largest producer of the metal in Africa, mining officials in the country have said.

Director general of mines, geology and quarries Ki Seka told Reuters: "We have four mines in production, we have four mines under construction and one more that is yet to start."

Although it is "not certain" the target can be achieved, he said the country aims to rise to fourth place behind its neighbours Ghana and Mali, which are respectively the second and third largest producers on the continent.

Mr Seka told the news agency that the mines would top last year's total of 5.5 tonnes.

The statement of intent comes after the World Bank told the country to diversify its economy, as the cotton exports it relies heavily on are likely to bring in less income during the world recession.

Elsewhere in Africa, Lake Victoria Mining and Kilimanjaro Mining agreed this week on a letter of intent to seek to establish a gold mine in the Victoria Greenstone Belt in Tanzania.

 

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