In 2024, Senegal was estimated to be the world's seventh-ranked producer of ilmenite and zirconium mineral concentrates, accounting for 3.4% and 4.0%, respectively, of global production. Senegal was also a salient world producer of phosphate rock phosphate rock, accounting for 1.2% of world production. Other mineral commodities produced in the country included cement and cement clinker, clays, gold, gravel, lead (refined), leucoxene, petroleum refinery products, phosphate rock, rutile, and silver (refined). In 2024, production of mineral commodities represented only a minor part of the economy of Senegal.
The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Senegal was regulated by the Mining Code (No. 27/2016) of 30 October 2016. The Ministry of Energy, Petroleum and Mines is the Government agency responsible for the oversight of the mining industry, including the attribution of mining concessions and negotiating mining agreements and contracts, with private interests. Most mineral commodities were produced by private companies, both domestic and international, but the Government has also had shared participation in some companies. The main producer of ilmenite in the country was Eramet Group of France, which owned the Grande Côte Mineral Sands (GCO) Mine. The Eramet GCO operation consisted of a coastal mobile dune system that stretches more than 100 kilometers (km) along Senegal’s coastline, about 50 km northeast of the capital city of Dakar.
