Sudan Announces Preparation of 15 Mining Concessions for Investment

The Director-General of the Geological Research Authority, Ahmed Haroun Al-Toum, revealed the preparation and signing of seven mining concession agreements with national and foreign companies, in addition to preparing and signing agreements for eight small-scale mining areas.

Despite the challenges and the aftermath of the war, the authority resumed its activities early in Port Sudan on May 15, 2023, including the retrieval of information. Al-Toum mentioned that they have reconnected with external counterparts to restore lost information, noting that significant projects have been conducted in Sudan since the 1970s in collaboration with countries such as Russia, Germany, China, and France. These countries possess data from joint projects with Sudan, and they have agreed to share the information with the authority.

Al-Toum added that the authority is working on producing geological, geochemical, and metallogenic maps, combining most of the discovered mineral indicators into a single map to showcase the hidden wealth in Sudanese soil.

The total number of concessions has reached 156 by October 2024, with 20 of them entering the feasibility study stage. Six companies had their licenses revoked recently for failing to comply with concession agreement terms, which set a six-month operational deadline.

He also mentioned that Sudan is rich in minerals beyond gold, such as iron, chromium, copper, industrial minerals like gypsum, marble, mica, talc, and manganese, as well as rare earth elements, gemstones, and semi-precious stones like quartz and garnet.