Mining: Thiès, second largest contributor to Senegal after Kédougou

The Thiès region occupies a strategic position in Senegal's mining sector. "After Kédougou, driven by its gold industry, Thiès is now positioned as the country's second-largest contributor and the leading industrial mining hub outside the gold sector," stated the Minister of Mines and Geology, Cheikhou Oumar Seck, at the inauguration of the new premises of the Thiès Regional Directorate of Mines and Geology, built at a cost of 297,231,510 CFA francs.

He highlighted the region's considerable economic weight in the national extractive industry. According to the latest report from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), covering the 2024 fiscal year, extractive companies operating in the region generated 145.4 billion CFA francs in contributions, of which 137.7 billion were paid into the state budget.

The minister also emphasized the diversity of the region's mineral resources. Thiès notably possesses phosphates, attapulgite, heavy minerals, limestone, clay, basalt, flint, laterite, sandstone, and sand. These resources, he stated, not only generate foreign exchange but also provide essential materials for the construction of public and private infrastructure.

Beyond the revenue generated by mining, the minister also raised the issue of resource processing within the country. According to him, 2024 data shows that 86.4% of the value of Senegal's extractive production was exported, while only 13.6%, or approximately 179 billion CFA francs, was retained or processed in Senegal. This situation, according to Cheikhou Oumar Seck, raises the question of value creation and job creation related to raw material processing.