Africa went in the grip of 7 companies .. a list of 10 countries produced and does not benefit economy

Al -Jazeera Net Correspondents

Although Africa is one of the richest continents of the world with natural resources, it remains the poorest in terms of the per capita income and development. Gold emerges as one of its most prominent treasures, as the continent has huge reserves of precious metal, but it remains an open square for international competition and the dominance of foreign companies.

Besides gold, minerals such as diamonds, oil and uranium are spread in the continent, and Africa controls 97% of the global vine reserves, 90% of the cobalt, and 85% of platinum. Nevertheless, about 120 million Africans live in a severe lack of food security, and the poverty rate is about 43.9% in 2025, according to the World Bank.

Gold embodies what is known as the “curse of resources”, as it is extracted from the depths of Africa to go to the treasures of the rich, while millions of population remains in extreme poverty, in light of the dominance of multinational companies, weak governance and corruption.

Gold that made history and ignited wars

Since the fifth century AD, Africa has been a gold mining center, especially in Mali and Ghana. Gold contributed to linking the continent to the world, and it was the basis for world criticism systems.

In 1886, Australian John Harrison discovered gold deposits in the “Whitroitrind” region of South Africa, which led to the emergence of the city of Johannesburg, which rapidly turned into the largest British settlement on the continent. This prosperity sparked the “Anglo-Porie” war as a result of the competition between the local and British population.

The “Whitrozrand” is still the beating heart of the gold industry in Africa, covering more than 87 thousand square kilometers and producing between 30% to 50% of global gold, and the content of crude in it sometimes reaches 3 thousand grams per ton, according to the “Enoter” agency.

The 10 largest African countries producing gold

According to the World Gold Council, global production of gold in 2023 amounted to about 3 thousand metric tons, and its value was about 38 billion dollars.

Africa contributes about half of its production from the west of the continent, and the list of the 10 largest gold production countries came in 2024 as follows:

• Ghana: 140.6 tons
• Mali: 100 tons
• South Africa: 98.9 tons
• Burkina Faso: 94.4 tons
• Sudan: 73.8 tons
• Guinea: 68 tons
• Ivory Coast: 58 tons
• Tanzania: 51.8 tons
• Zimbabwe: 50.9 tons
• Democratic Congo: 42.3 tons

The 7 most prominent international companies extract Africa gold

Major companies dominate gold extract from African mines, and these operations are often done through government agreements that exclude the local population to benefit from their wealth.

The inhabitants ’attempts to extract gold led to bloody confrontations, in which more than 20 workers were killed during the past year in Ghana, Guinea and Burkina Faso, according to Reuters.

The United Nations also appreciates that about 10 million people depend on informal mining as a major source of income in sub -Saharan Africa.

Below are the 7 most prominent mining companies active on the continent:

• Barrick Gold (Barrick Gold) -Canadian, based in Toronto, works in Tanzania and Mali and runs the “Lulu-Gonkoto”, “Kepalen” and others.
• Neumont (NewMont) – An American, “Ahvo” mine in Ghana is one of its most prominent projects.
• Anglogold Ashanti South Africa runs 10 mines in Africa, including in Ghana, Guinea and Tanzania.
• Kinross Gold – Canadian, works in Mauritania, with a “Tazisast” mine.
• Gold Fields South Africa, owns mines in Ghana and South Africa.
• Newcrest Mining (Newcrest Mining) Australian, working on Ivory Coast, and bought by “Neumont” in 2023.
• Sibanye Still (Sibanye Stillwater) South Africa, produces gold and precious minerals from the “Whitrozrand” mines and “Free State”.

Gold represents one of the most prominent natural fortunes of Africa, but at the same time it reflects a flagrant imbalance in the fairness of the distribution of resources. While the continent has huge precautions, its peoples remain far from benefiting from them, amid the influence of international companies and the collusion of some governments.

The question remains: Can Africa extract its gold from the grip of the rich and turn it into a real development tool for its people?