Russian state-owned company Rosgeologiya has signed agreements with Mali to develop a digital geological map and an information system for managing the country’s mining sector. The agreements were signed on Wednesday 28 October by Rosgeologiya’s overseas unit, Zarubezhgeologia, and Mali’s Ministry of Mines, on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa forum in Moscow. The company presented the deal as a further step in Russia’s expanding economic engagement with the military-led Sahel nation.

What the agreements cover

Under the deal, the two sides will create a medium-scale geological map of two areas covering more than half of Mali’s territory, identifying zones considered prospective for future mineral exploration. They will also build a system allowing Mali to manage geological data, mineral licensing and regulatory oversight of mining activity. The head of Zarubezhgeologia, Alexey Desyatkin, said the project would help make information about the country’s mineral resources more accessible and transparent, including for potential investors.

Context: gold, lithium and a shifting partnership

Mali is already one of Africa’s leading gold producers and is seeking to develop other mineral resources, including lithium. Its military rulers have deepened ties with Russia since the 2020 coup, expanding cooperation across security, mining and energy while moving away from traditional Western partners, a path also followed by neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Mali’s Ministry of Mines did not immediately respond to a request for comment in the Reuters report, and no financial terms, timetable or specific deposits were disclosed in the reports seen, so none are stated here.

Sources: Reuters, MINING.COM.