In Kédougou, the excitement of the gold rush has gripped the entire city, attracting crowds and both legal and illegal activities. But behind the dazzling luster of the precious metal that draws locals and foreigners alike, lies a grim reality of socio-economic hardship, health risks, insecurity, and environmental devastation. This is an unprecedented look inside the "Diouras," the beating heart of artisanal and small-scale gold mining.

In the far southeast of Senegal, the hills and rugged terrain create a breathtaking landscape. Kédougou (located 722 kilometers from Dakar), the land of the Bassari and Bedik peoples, is a unique place where majestic mountains, dense forests, and spectacular waterfalls combine to form a paradise for nature lovers. Created from the division of the former Tambacounda region, it was established by Law 2008-14 of March 18, 2008, amending Law 72-02 of February 1, 1972, concerning the organization of territorial and local administration.

The new region covers an area of 16,896 km² and borders Mali and Guinea, separated from these two countries by the natural barrier of the Falémé River, a major tributary of the Senegal River that originates in the Fouta Djallon highlands, also known as the water tower of West Africa. Its population, predominantly composed of Malinké and Fulani people, followed by Bassari and Bedik, has grown from 172,482 inhabitants in 2017 (2016 population projections, ANSD) to 245,288 inhabitants in 2023 (2023 census, ANSD), indicating very strong population growth resulting largely from its sudden economic appeal, which transcends national borders.

The most mountainous region in the country, its terrain is the most rugged, with Mount Sambangallou in the south reaching a height of 581 meters, the hills of the Bassari country to the west, and Mount Assirik (327 meters) overlooking Niokolo-Koba National Park. These steep slopes, characterized by a succession of plateaus, cliffs, and steep inclines, conceal a vast treasure: gold. It is therefore no coincidence that the Malinke people decided to call it "Kédougou," which in their language means "fertile land," thus alluding to the richness of both the soil and the subsoil.

The discovery of the precious metal in the Kédougou region has transformed this remote and peaceful corner of Senegal into a veritable Wild West, where the lust for riches has overridden all other considerations. Gold prospectors flock from everywhere, drawn by the promise of easy wealth, but the reality on the ground is often quite different. Behind this frenzied gold rush lies a grim picture of poverty, rampant prostitution fueled by sex trafficking and human trafficking, widespread insecurity, major health risks, and growing environmental devastation.

A new Senegalese Eldorado, the Kédovin dream, which boils down to "making a fortune at any cost," is taking shape at the foot of the mountains, in the "Diouras." These gold panning sites are the nerve center of artisanal and small-scale gold mining. Here, they number in the hundreds, even thousands, from Mako to Moussala, passing through Tombronkoto, Kharakhéna, Saraya, and so on. Only a little over 87 sites have legal authorizations from the Ministry of Energy, Petroleum, and Mines. All the rest operate illegally, in complete secrecy.

The frantic search for small, shiny nuggets is a daring and sometimes perilous task for the "diouramen" (artisanal gold miners), but the hope of striking it rich in the depths of the "Damas" (the tiny tunnels dug to access the deposits) acts as a powerful psychoactive stimulus. To better understand this gold rush in Kédougou, we delve into the daily lives of the miners in Bantako.

Bantako, in the heart of the Dioura

It's 10 a.m. in Kédougou, Tuesday, November 25, 2025, and the sun is almost at its zenith. The Seneweb team—which has gone to great lengths for a thrilling immersion—is traveling the road leading to the famous "dioura" (village) of Bantako, located at the entrance to the region, more than 60 kilometers from the city. There, we are met by Tamba, the younger brother of the village chief, Moussa Keïta, who is unable to attend. A chaotic laterite track leads to the village, winding through the forest for 7 kilometers. After a grueling journey, a rollercoaster of twists and turns with steep, dusty slopes, the sprawling village of Bantako finally appears at the foot of the mountain. Here, the rustic thatched huts that serve as homes stand in stark contrast to modern amenities: a gas station in the middle of the forest, a telecom antenna, and a modern health post. Striking details that indicate this hamlet is different from others.

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“Welcome to Bantako,” our guide announces, delighted to receive a team of journalists. His enthusiasm is far from contagious in the Bantako “dioura,” perched at the far south of the village. Arriving at the site with our filming equipment, reluctance is immediate. “They want to film us, but we must refuse,” Old Barry whispers in Pulaar. But this wall of ice eventually melts thanks to the warmth of our interactions. Indeed, after warm greetings and a few playful jabs, the magic happens. Less touchy now, Old Barry gives the go-ahead: “Get dressed up, we’re going to be on TV,” he finally says, eliciting bursts of laughter. Contact is established, and the artisanal gold miners (mostly foreigners) open up.

Gold extraction and processing, a complex process

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Several nationalities work side-by-side in this gold panning area, which has authorization from the Ministry of Mines: Senegalese, Malians, Burkinabe, Guineans, Nigerians, among others. And each has a well-defined role in the process, from prospecting to washing, including securing the pit, excavation, winnowing, etc. It's a laborious process of gold extraction and separation involving several informal trades with names in the local Bambara or Malinke languages, explains El Hadji Sangou Camara, a "tombolman" (a watchman responsible for ensuring the peace and quiet of the pit).

First, he explains, during the prospecting stage, an initial winnowing test is carried out on-site on a soil sample taken from the well to detect traces of gold. Once this test reveals indications of gold ore, the well is then excavated by the "damatigui" (Damascus excavators) using picks, jackhammers, and shovels. To avoid risking their lives 15 or 20 meters underground, they call upon the "balandouna," specialists in supporting galleries, who erect a wooden structure to stabilize the well and prevent the collapses that are as tragic as they are frequent here. In fact, the last one occurred in July 2025 and "resulted in several deaths," reveals Sangou Camara.

The excavated rock and earth minerals are placed in 50-kilogram bags and hauled to the surface using a manual or electric pulley. They are stored near the pit. Approximately thirty bags are extracted daily and divided into quotas among: the "dataguetigui" (owner of the pit), the "damatigui" (those who extract the minerals), and the investors (pulley, fuel, water, tea). Everyone returns home with their bags at the end of the day.

Then comes the processing stage, during which everyone crosses their fingers, hoping for a lucky break. "Some end up with 2 grams, others 4, 5, or 10 grams. It can even go up to a kilogram," he recounts. A good daily haul, considering that a gram of gold sells for around 60,000 to 75,000 CFA francs. A kilogram is a real jackpot! It trades on the market for 47 million CFA francs. The height of irony: small-scale artisanal production bypasses Senegal, just like industrial production. Most of the Diouramen prefer to sell their gold to Malians and Burkinabe who pay better.

In the Diouras, where security is a foreign concept, wealth often breeds jealousy. A Diouraman who makes a fortune must be even more vigilant. "Many successful Diouraman have suffered attacks that sometimes end in tragedy. It's their fellow Diouramen themselves who tip off bandits so they can ambush you," we are told.

Use of chemicals and deforestation

The search for the precious metal seems to be accompanied by serious practices with disastrous consequences, particularly during the processing of ores extracted from the "damas" (a local term for ore deposits). To extract the gold nugget from its rocky mantle, gold miners use dangerous toxic products such as mercury and cyanide. When vaporized, these products pollute the air, soil, groundwater, and waterways, such as the Falémé River, which is heavily contaminated. Carried by the wind, they settle on soil, vegetation, bodies of water, and unprotected food, with harmful consequences for the health of the population and those who handle it. These products severely affect the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as the lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes.

These chemicals are brought into the mining areas by foreign traffickers—mostly Burkinabés—who sometimes manage to evade the vigilance of border security forces. Nevertheless, the latter still manage to intercept significant quantities. This was the case on February 6, 2020. Customs officers from the Kédougou Subdivision intercepted a shipment of 135 kg of cyanide destined for gold mining sites in Saraya. This substantial seizure gives an idea of the scale of the trafficking and the dramatic consequences it has in the mining areas.

A dangerous trend that Kassa Keïta and his GIE Cocoba are trying to reverse through the acquisition of a crusher-grinder-separator, an effective alternative to using toxic products to amalgamate fine gold particles. "Our machine allows us to crush and separate gold and ores in just 40 minutes and with better yields. So we are calling on the government to provide us with more support to put an end to the use of mercury and cyanide," says Mr. Keïta.

Hundreds of clandestine sites are dismantled every year.

Other illicit practices also take place there: illegal and clandestine gold mining. It is widespread in Saraya and along the banks of the Falémé River. Foreign gold miners, particularly from Burkina Faso, venture into the forest at night and cut down hundreds of trees, polluting the soil to extract gold. This is in blatant violation of the presidential decree of July 31, 2024, which suspends, until July 31, 2027, "for reasons of environmental preservation, protection of public health, and security of the border area, all mining operations or the issuance of mining permits around the left bank of the Falémé River within a 500-meter radius."

In Kharakhéna, where mining permits are also suspended, the "diouramen" (miners) continue to take up residence in "gnafas" (makeshift shelters set up in the diouras) and clandestinely mine gold on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, when the defense and security forces—on high alert due to the jihadist threat at the border—look the other way. "They have informants who tell them when the gendarmerie is planning a raid," a police source confided.

For several weeks, forces from Military Zone Number 4 and the Kédougou Gendarmerie Legion, anxious to counter any expansionist ambitions of JNIM, have been carrying out numerous raids on illegal gold mining sites, potential breeding grounds for jihadism. For example, in Ségoto, in the Falémé region, three illegal gold mining sites were dismantled on December 3rd, and 15 water pumps and 5 generators were seized during the army's Boundou maneuvers. On December 8th, the gendarmerie dismantled a major illegal site in Wassadou. On December 13th, ten individuals were arrested at an illegal site in Sabodala, along with 24 generators and 4 water pumps.