Gold Panning: GRAMCI Draws the Line Between Legality and Illegality

The Groupement des Artisans Miniers de Côte d’Ivoire (GRAMCI) clarified its position on gold panning in Côte d'Ivoire, praising the government's firmness against illegal gold panning while calling for the formalization of small-scale mining. The organization clearly distinguishes between illegal gold panning, which threatens the environment and economy, and legal artisanal mining, which ensures traceability and economic benefits. Between 2021 and the first half of 2026, over 8,500 illegal sites were cleared.