The High Commissioner of Ganzourgou Province, Ms. Aminata Sorgho/Gouba, launched on October 8, 2024, a training course for artisanal miners in Koratenga, a village in the commune of Zam. Held in the meeting room of the town hall of the said commune, this training course was organized as part of the project to promote responsible gold panning (OR). This project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, in partnership with the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries, is implemented by a consortium of NGOs: Caritas Switzerland, Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) and Solidar Suisse.
This two-day training, which combines theory and practice, aims to improve the skills of mining artisans in the exploitation of geological data and health and safety at work. It is part of the efforts made to ensure safer, more profitable and environmentally friendly gold mining.
The AGC country representative, also representing the consortium, Saïdou Kabré, explained that this training is the third after those held in M
éguet and Mogtédo. It provides tools to a total of 75 artisanal and small-scale mining (MAPE) stakeholders from the Nobsin, Tambipelsé and Koratenga sites. In addition to these trainings, the artisanal miners also received Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including shoes, helmets, goggles, etc. to prevent accidents and protect their health during extraction operations. “This training was initiated to help them better identify deposits and judiciously extract gold ore,” said Mr. Kabré.
He also stressed the importance of respecting mining laws and abandoning dangerous practices, such as the use of mercury and cyanide.
The High Commissioner of Ganzourgou, Mrs. Aminata Sorgho/Gouba expressed her satisfaction with the implementation of the OR project in the province. She thanked the organizers and encouraged the artisans to put into practice the knowledge acquired for a more harmonious and standards-compliant exploitation. She stressed that this training should promote peaceful relations between mining artisa
ns, mining companies and local communities.
The representative of the Ministry of Mines, Dr. Ousséni Sourgou, recalled the importance of this training within the framework of the legislation in force. He encouraged the participants to adopt responsible practices and to draw inspiration from the methods of large-scale operations to ensure environmentally friendly mining.
The trainer, Dr. Mourou François Ouédraogo, explained to the mining artisans the geological processes related to the formation of gold deposits and introduced them to the techniques of collecting and interpreting geological data. ‘Gold is not a snake that moves. It is a mineral that forms naturally within rocks. Understanding its formation allows us to know where to look for it,’ he said.
The artisans learned to use tools such as the magnifying glass and the geological hammer to better exploit the potential of their sites.
Participants expressed satisfaction at having acquired skills that will enable them to improve the profitability of th
eir operations while respecting safety and environmental protection standards. This project marks a step towards more responsible and sustainable artisanal mining in Burkina Faso.
Source: Burkina Information Agency