Sao Tome e Principe

In 2024, Sao Tome e Principe was not a globally significant producer of mineral commodities. Production of mineral commodities represented only a minor part of the economy of Sao Tome e Principe. Aggregates, basalt, sand and gravel may have been produced in Sao Tome e Principe, but available information was inadequate to make reliable estimates of output. The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Sao Tome e Principe is provided by Law No. 9/2020, which established the legal regime for the exploration and extraction of aggregates. The Direção Geral de Recursos Naturais e Energia [Directorate General for Natural Resources and Energy] oversees the mineral sector and provides strategic guidance as the public administration body responsible for designing, promoting, and evaluating policies on water, energy, and geological resources (Direção Geral de Recursos Naturais e Energia, 2022a, b). 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…;

References 

• Direção Geral de Recursos Naturais e Energia, 2022a, Implementação da lei 9/2020 que aprova o regime jurídico de exploração e extração de inertes em São Tomé e Príncipe [Implementation of Law 9/2020 which approves the legal framework for the exploration and extraction of inert materials in São Tomé and Príncipe]: Sao Tome, Sao Tome e Principe, Direção Geral de Recursos Naturais e Energia. (Accessed January 12, 2026, at https://dgrne.org/pt-pt/implementacao-da-lei-92020-que-aprova-o-regime-….) [In Portuguese.] 

• Direção Geral de Recursos Naturais e Energia, 2022b, Missão e objectivo [Mission and objective]: Sao Tome, Sao Tome e Principe, Direção Geral de Recursos Naturais e Energia. (Accessed January 12, 2026, at https://dgrne.org/index.php/pt-pt/missao-e-objectivo.) [In Portuguese.]