Artisanal mining authorisation

What it allows

To prospect and mine, by artisanal methods, the substances the authorisation is issued for, within the plot allocated and down to thirty metres where working is by benches and fifteen where it is by pits (article 56). The authorisation is an indivisible movable right, not assignable and not leasable, but it passes on death.

Who may apply

Only Guinean natural persons, legal persons whose capital is wholly held by Guineans, and nationals of countries granting reciprocity (article 53). Artisanal mining is forbidden to shareholders and employees of mining companies, buying counters and gold buying offices. A share of the plots may be reserved for members of an approved cooperative.

An individual

At a glance

What it costs

• Filing feeGNF 150,000

  Payable when you file · Arrêté conjoint du Ministre chargé des Mines et du Ministre chargé des Finances fixant les droits fixes et redevances du secteur minier

Total, filing and issueGNF 150,000

What to bring

Some of these depend on your answers; the list narrows as you fill the form in.

• Receipt for the filing fee

  To be attached only where the charge was settled before the file was sent. It must be legible and carry the number and the date given on the form.

  Must be less than 3 months old

  Arrêté conjoint du Ministre chargé des Mines et du Ministre chargé des Finances fixant les droits fixes et redevances du secteur minier

• Cooperative’s certificate

  Required if Cooperative membership is Member of an approved cooperative

  Must be less than 12 months old

  Code minier, art. 51 à 64 (autorisation d’exploitation artisanale)

Before you start

• The number of your valid individual prospector’s card
• The substance sought: gold or diamond — it decides the size of the plot
• How many artisanal authorisations you already hold for that substance
• The number of years of mining you can evidence
• If you are in a cooperative: your cooperative’s certificate

How it is handled

1. Admissibility

   30 days

2. Ranking and allocation

   30 days

3. Decision

   15 days

4. Signature

   15 days

5. Notification

   2 days

If the answer is no

The ranking and the allocation are published with their reasoning. An appeal may be made to the Minister for Mines within two months of publication, and then before the competent administrative court.

The texts this rests on

• Code minier, art. 51 à 64 (autorisation d’exploitation artisanale)
• Code minier, art. 53 (personnes autorisées à l’exploitation artisanale)
• Code minier, art. 57 (superficie de l’autorisation d’exploitation artisanale)

Versions of this procedure

• Version 1 · 2026-01-01In force