The substratum of the Senegalese territory offers great varieties of mineral substances including the noble metals (gold and platinum), the base metals (iron, copper, chromium, nickel), industrial minerals (industrial phosphates, limestone, salts, barytine etc.) heavy minerals (zircon and titanium), decorative stones and building materials etc.

– Senegal has a wealth of diverse and unexploited mineral deposits which until recently have lain dormant. Previously Senegal’s mining industry was dominated by the exploitation of phosphates, industrial limestone and attapulgite. Phosphates in particular formed one of the key components of the Senegalese economy since the time of independence in the 1960’s.

– However, thanks to a new mining Code adopted in 2003 and to the significant investment promotion driven by the Senegalese government and its development partners, the diversification of mining activity is growing through the exploration and the exploitation of gold, iron ore, uranium and copper in the south-east of Senegal as well as the development of zircon and titanium in the littoral zone.