Mauritania
Mauritania was the world's 16th-ranked producer of iron ore
Pictured: hematite (iron ore)
Statistics and information on the mining industry in Mauritania.
Overview
In 2024, Mauritania was the world's 16th-ranked producer of iron ore (iron content), accounting for 1% of global production. Other mineral commodities produced in the country included cement, copper, gold, gypsum, and salt. Production of copper, gold, and iron ore contributed 17% or \$1.84 billion to Mauritania’s gross domestic product. Mauritania exported copper, gold, and iron ore to China, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.
The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Mauritania is provided by law No. 2008-011 of April 27, 2008, (the Mining Code), amended by laws No. 2009-026 of April 7, 2009, No. 2012-014 of February 22, 2012, and No. 2014-008 of April 29, 2014. The Ministère des Mines et de l’Industrie [Ministry of Minerals and Industry] oversees the mineral sector and is responsible for the exploration, mining, and management of mineral resources, as well as encouraging industrial development that contributes to economic growth and diversification. Most mineral commodities were produced by private companies.
In early 2024, Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière S.A. [National Industrial and Mining Company S.A.] (SNIM) signed a contract with TAKRAF Group of Germany to develop the F’Derick iron ore project. The agreement will include a complete iron ore crushing, screening, and material handling system, along with a train loading station. It is expected that SNIM’s annual production capacity will increase to 18 million metric tons (Mt) from 12 Mt through the development of the F’Derick project.
In 2024, Mauritania was the world's 16-ranked producer of iron ore (iron content) accounting for 1% of global production. Other mineral commodities produced in the country included cement, copper, gold, gypsum, and salt. Data on mineral production are in the Production table (formerly table 1). Production of copper, gold, and iron contributed 17% or \$1.84 billion to Mauritania’s gross domestic product. Mauritania exported copper, gold, and iron ore to China, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates (U.S. Department of State, 2024; Banque Centrale de Mauritanie, 2025, p. 43, 286; Tuck, 2026).
The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Mauritania is provided by law No. 2008-011 of April 27, 2008, (the Mining Code), amended by laws No. 2009-026 of April 7, 2009, No. 2012-014 of February 22, 2012, and No. 2014-008 of April 29, 2014. The Ministère des Mines et de l’Industrie [Ministry of Minerals and Industry] oversees the mineral sector and is responsible for the exploration, mining, and management of mineral resources, as well as encouraging industrial development that contributes to economic growth and diversification. Most mineral commodities were produced by private companies. The Facilities table (formerly table 2) is a list of major mineral industry facilities (Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development, 2017, p. 9; Ministère des Mines et de l’Industrie, 2024). More-extensive coverage of Government policies and programs can be found in previous editions of this chapter in the U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports — International — Africa and the Middle East, which are available at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/afric…;
Commodity Review
Copper.—Mauritanian Copper Mines SARL (MCM), which was a wholly owned subsidiary of First Quantum Minerals Ltd. of Canada, produced copper, gold, and iron ore concentrate at the Guelb Moghrein Mine. In 2024, Guelb Moghrein Mine copper production increased by 37% to 17,792 metric tons. The increase resulted from improved ore grades sourced from stockpiles and a mining area called Cutback 4 (First Quantum Minerals Ltd., 2025, p. 36–37).
Gold.—Mauritania’s gold production in 2024 increased by 1% to 21,950 kilograms (kg). The production came from artisanal mining, the Guelb Moghrein Mine, and the Tasiast gold mine. Gold production at Guelb Moghrein increased by 19% to 979 kg owing to improved grades and recoveries. Tasiast production of gold in 2024 was 19,358 kg, similar to the output in 2023 (First Quantum Minerals Ltd., 2025, p. 36–37; Kinross Gold Corp., 2025).
Iron Ore.—Mauritania’s iron ore (gross weight) production remained similar to that of 2023 at 14.3 million metric tons (Mt). Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière S.A. [National Industrial and Mining Company S.A.] (SNIM) operated the Guelb el Rhein Mine, the Kedia d’Idjill Mine, the M’Haoudat Mine, the TO14 Mine in Tiris Zemmour region and plants in Tiris Zemmour and Dakhlet Nouadhibou regions. In early 2024, SNIM signed a contract with TAKRAF Group of Germany to develop the F’Derick iron ore project. The agreement will include a complete iron ore crushing, screening, and material handling system, along with a train loading station. It is expected that SNIM’s annual production capacity will increase to 18 Mt from 12 Mt through the development of the F’Derick project (TAKRAF Group, 2024).
Production table
(Metric tons, gross weight, unless otherwise specified)
| Commodity | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cement, hydraulic | 1,000,000e | 1,000,000e | 1,000,000e | 1,000,000e | 1,000,000e |
| Copper, mine, concentrates, Cu content | 28,491 | 18,845 | 13,313 | 13,014 | 17,792 |
| Gold, mine, Au content (kilograms) | 19,725 | 8,104 | 19,317 | 21,774 | 21,950 |
| Gypsum, crude | 200,000e | 200,000e | 200,000e | 200,000e | 200,000e |
| Iron ore, mine | 12,515,000 | 13,148,000 | 13,400,700 | 14,100,000 | 14,307,000 |
| Iron ore, mine, Fe content | 7,822,000 | 8,220,000 | 8,380,000 | 8,790,000 | 8,940,000 |
| Salt | 1,000e | 1,000e | 1,000e | 1,000e | 1,000e |
References Cited
- Banque Centrale de Mauritanie, 2025, Rapport annuel 2024 [Annual report 2024]: Nouakchott, Mauritania, Banque Centrale de Mauritanie, 292 p. (Accessed September 12, 2025, at https://media.licdn.com/dms/document/media/v2/D561FAQGaBxvrKx_SKA/feeds….) [In French.]
- First Quantum Minerals Ltd., 2025, 2024 Annual report: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, First Quantum Minerals Ltd. 137 p. (Accessed September 12, 2025, at https://www.first-quantum.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/First-Quantum-….)
- Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development, 2017, Évaluation du cadre directif pour l’exploitation minière—Mauritanie [Assessment of the mining policy framework]: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development, 50 p. (Accessed September 12, 2025, at https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/mauritania-mining-policy….) [In French.]
- Kinross Gold Corp., 2025, Kinross reports 2024 fourth-quarter and full-year results: Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Kinross Gold Corp., February 12. (Accessed September 12, 2025, at https://www.kinross.com/news-and-investors/news-releases/press-release-….)
- Ministère des Mines et de l’Industrie, 2024, Tasks: Nouakchott, Mauritania, Ministère des Mines et de l’Industrie. (Accessed September 12, 2025, at https://mmi.gov.mr/ar/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%87%d8%a7%d9%85/.) [In French.]
- TAKRAF Group, 2024, TAKRAF Group secures major project award with SNIM for F’Derick iron ore project in Mauritania: Leipzig, Germany, TAKRAF Group. (Accessed September 12, 2025, at https://www.takraf.com/news/detail/takraf-group-secures-major-project-a….)
- Tuck, C.C., 2026, Iron ore: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 108–109.
- U.S. Department of State, 2024, Investment climate statements—Mauritania: Washington DC, U.S. Department of State, June 17. (Accessed April 23, 2026, at https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-investment-climate-statements/maurit….)