Abstract

Panning for gold is a very old tradition in Mali, but the technical knowledge needed to identify the areas richest in gold, and the instruments to minimize the effort necessary, are still unavailable. Consequently, results fluctuate enormously from one season to another; production is stagnating; and the economic position of the workers involved continues to be extremely precarious. However, judging by the importance of this activity in the subtropics, and by the discovery of major deposits of gold elsewhere in the world. It may be assumed that the gold-bearing zones in Mali could be more productive. The objective of this project is to improve conditions for the search for gold in laterites, especially in Mali, by the study of the distribution of gold in the laterites of south-west Mali, and to develop better operating techniques to improve the living and earning conditions of those working in the field.

Recipient Institution(s)