In Madagascar, gold exports are on the verge of a revival. In any case, this is the message that the Minister of Mines wanted to convey this Monday, February 19, during a demonstration of the new export procedures in force for the traceability of Malagasy gold bars.
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With our correspondent in Antananarivo, Sarah Tétaud
Under the gaze of journalists and cameras, the X-ray spectrometer of the new one-stop shop for gold scans the first ingot to know its exact composition, before being placed on the hydrostatic balance.
Cutting-edge equipment serving a traceability procedure that the Minister of Mines, Olivier Rakotomalala, is proud to present: “ All the information that is collected through physical measurements is integrated into a material safety data sheet. They are themselves integrated into a QR code which is printed on the ingot, before the official hallmarking with the sign of Madagascar, the zebu head. And also written on it: the gold titration and the serial number, to show that it was passed through the single export window. »
Resumption of gold exports
In Madagascar, the export of gold has been prohibited since September 2020. Last March, the government finally lifted this ban. However, for a year, no ingot has legally been able to leave the territory. “ The operation to clean up the gold sector took longer than expected », Recognizes a source.
In 2018, only 3 tonnes of gold were declared to customs for 15 tonnes illegally taken out of the island. The suspension of the export of yellow ore was supposed to serve to stop the trafficking but, in 2021 and 2022, resounding cases of gold trafficking strongly shook the government. Ancient history, for this government which wishes to show that this one-stop shop will solve some of the problems “ from yesteryear “.
“ The State’s objective is to be able to export on average up to 15 tonnes of gold per year. and to achieve this objective, we should work on the professionalization of artisanal mines and also try to promote, as soon as possible, the opening of industrial gold mines. Otherwise this objective will be difficult to achieve », continued the minister.
So far, six operators have obtained their approval. The owner of the ingots hallmarked this Monday will be the first to be able to export gold since 2020. More than 80% of Malagasy gold is exported to Dubai.
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