Mali is stepping up efforts to take greater control of its vast mineral resources, turning to Russia for technical support in mapping its geological deposits and establishing a digital system to manage mining activities, in a partnership that could reshape how the West African country identifies, regulates and attracts investment into its extractive industry.
The agreements, signed between Mali’s Ministry of Mines and Zarubezhgeologia, the international projects subsidiary of Russian state-owned geological company Rosgeologia, provide for the development of a medium-scale geological map and a centralised digital information system for the country’s mining sector.
The deals were concluded on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa forum in Moscow, marking another expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries as Mali’s military-led government deepens its engagement with Moscow and reduces its traditional reliance on Western partners.
Under the first agreement, the Russian company will undertake geological mapping of two areas covering more than half of Mali’s national territory, an exercise expected to identify locations with promising mineral deposits and establish a clearer picture of the country’s geological potential for future exploration and development.
Beyond identifying mineral-bearing zones, the mapping exercise is expected to provide the Malian authorities with important technical information for determining areas that should receive priority attention in future mining investments.
The second agreement focuses on developing a digital geological information system designed to centralise and organise data on Mali’s mineral resources, licensing activities and regulatory operations across the mining industry.
The proposed platform will provide facilities for storing, accessing, viewing and analysing geological information, potentially giving government institutions a more coordinated framework for monitoring mining activities and making decisions on resource development.
For a country whose economy is heavily dependent on extractive activities, access to reliable geological information is particularly important. Without comprehensive knowledge of its underground resources, the government faces challenges in determining the commercial potential of mineral deposits, planning exploration activities and negotiating effectively with prospective investors.
Zarubezhgeologia’s chief executive, Alexey Desyatkin, said the initiative would make information about Mali’s mineral resources more accessible and transparent, including to potential investors.
The development comes as Mali seeks to consolidate its position as one of Africa’s leading gold producers while expanding exploration and investment into other commercially valuable minerals, particularly lithium, which has become increasingly important to the global energy transition and electric vehicle industry.
However, the agreements also carry broader implications for Mali’s mining policy. The country’s military authorities have pursued reforms aimed at increasing state participation in the extractive industry, improving revenue collection and strengthening national oversight of mineral assets.
These efforts have included changes to the mining regulatory framework, reflecting the government’s determination to secure greater economic benefits from resources that have historically attracted substantial foreign investment.
The geological mapping and digital database projects could therefore provide the authorities with additional instruments to improve resource administration, monitor mining licences and strengthen their negotiating position with companies seeking access to mineral deposits.
Russia’s involvement also reflects the changing geopolitical and economic landscape in the Sahel. Since the military takeover in Mali in 2020, relations between Bamako and Moscow have expanded across security, mining and energy, with Russia emerging as an increasingly important partner in the country’s search for alternatives to traditional Western cooperation.
Neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, both governed by military administrations, have pursued similar approaches, strengthening their relations with Moscow amid deteriorating ties with several Western governments.
