Ensuring sustainable management of mineral resources

The Minister of Mines, Herindrainy Olivier Rakotomalala, has issued an Artisanal Mining Exploitation Authorization (AMEA) to the Firaisankina miners’ group, located in Antandrokomby, a rural commune of Ambatondrazaka.

This permit allows miners in the area to legally extract rose quartz. On this occasion, the Minister emphasized that all mining activities require authorization in compliance with current laws. Antandrokomby, a mineral-rich region, is also partially covered by an exploration permit holder.

The recent adoption of the mining law now permits small-scale miners to operate in such areas, provided they obtain consent from the permit holder. As a result, the Firaisankina group miners can utilize the designated zone for this purpose, referred to as the « Artisanal Mining Corridor ».

The establishment of this Artisanal Mining Corridor for the Firaisankina group is the first of its kind in Madagascar. The authorization certificate, valid for six months and renewable once, is subject to strict regulations to ensure the quality of operations and adherence to environmental standards, as stipulated by the Minister.

This initiative enjoys the ministry’s support, which guarantees technical and administrative assistance. The model aims to ensure the sustainable management of resources and revenue for small-scale miners while generating profits for local communities and the State through taxes and royalties.