Guinea bans illegal gold mining in Siguiri to protect biodiversity

Authorities in Guinea have banned illegal gold mining in the Siguiri region of Haute-Guinée to stop the destruction of local ecosystems.

The government moved to restrict these activities after observing the severe degradation of water bodies, agricultural lands, and local biodiversity. Abdoulaye Gonkou Bah, the executive director of the NGO ACOREC (Agir contre le réchauffement climatique), welcomed the move as a necessary step toward environmental preservation.

He noted that unregulated mining violates the country's environmental code, which governs how mining resources should be handled. Bah explained that informal gold mining is difficult to regulate because it lacks a structured framework. Unlike formal mining companies, which must undergo social and environmental assessments before starting work, individual informal miners often have no clear identity for authorities to contact. This lack of accountability makes it nearly impossible to demand that miners restore the land after they finish extracting gold.

The ban aims to slow down uncontrolled deforestation and soil degradation while allowing for the recovery of plant cover and wildlife. Bah noted that the ban is only a starting point and must be accompanied by concrete restoration actions. He also warned that the use of chemicals during gold extraction can worsen environmental damage if not properly managed.