Mali gold mine closures handed to the state: Yatela, Morila and Sadiola closure money
- The tailings at Sadiola show arsenic and antimony as "highly enriched", according to the same report. Datamine (Snowden Optiro) for Allied Gold
- The report states: "Some water may require storage onsite and re-use due to elevated concentrations of arsenic, fluoride and molybdenum." Datamine (Snowden Optiro) for Allied Gold
- At Yatela, the heap-leach pads on my land were still being irrigated in 2023, with loaded carbon toll-treated at Sadiola. Datamine (Snowden Optiro) for Allied Gold
- Company or project IAMGOLD (Q1 2019 release): On completion SADEX and affiliates would be released of all obligations relating to the mine, including rehabilitation and mine closure, after a payment of approximately USD 18.5 million. IAMGOLD
- Government and regulators Government of Mali (2025, via Reuters): The takeover of Yatela and Morila was linked to significant environmental and financial liabilities from abandonment of the mines. Mining Technology/GlobalData via Yahoo Finance
In 2019 SADEX (AngloGold Ashanti/IAMGOLD) agreed to sell its 80% of the Yatela gold mine in Mali for USD 1, with a one-time payment of approximately USD 18.5 million to a state agency and release from rehabilitation and closure obligations; in 2025 Mali's government completed the takeover of Yatela and Morila, citing significant environmental and financial liabilities. At Sadiola, a 2023 technical report estimates closure costs of about USD 88–90 million and records arsenic in waste rock.
Payable to a state agency alongside the sale of SADEX's 80% for USD 1; SADEX and affiliates were to be released of all obligations relating to the mine, including rehabilitation and closure (IAMGOLD Q1 2019 release).
Status As of July 2025: the takeover of Yatela and Morila by Mali's government was completed between 27 June and 1 July 2025; no financing plan for the revived mines had been disclosed.
- Government of Mali — Took over Yatela and Morila with the environmental and financial liabilities it described; no financing plan disclosed Mining Technology/GlobalData via Yahoo Finance
- Land and water at Sadiola — Arsenic above release guideline concentrations in 38% of waste rock samples; tailings highly enriched in arsenic and antimony Datamine (Snowden Optiro) for Allied Gold
What happened
On 14 February 2019 SADEX (AngloGold Ashanti/IAMGOLD) agreed to sell its 80% of Société d'Exploitation des Mines d'Or de Yatela "for a consideration of $1", according to IAMGOLD's Q1 2019 results release. Conditions included two laws changing Yatela's status and "the creation of a dedicated state agency, notably in charge of mine rehabilitation and closure". On completion, "SADEX and its affiliated companies will be released of all obligations relating to the Yatela mine including those relating to rehabilitation, mine closure and the financing of social programs". A one-time payment of "approximately $18.5 million" went to the state agency, "corresponding to the estimated costs of completing the rehabilitation and closure… and also financing certain outstanding social programs".
On 6 January 2021 Mali's Council of Ministers adopted texts creating the "Fonds de réhabilitation et de fermeture de la mine d'or de Yatela" (Yatela gold mine rehabilitation and closure fund) and a special allocation account in the Treasury; no amount was stated (Financial Afrik). The handback ("rétrocession") of Yatela was signed on 17 October 2024 at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the mine was integrated into SOREM-Mali SA (Benin Web TV).
The takeover of Yatela and Morila was completed between 27 June and 1 July 2025. The government cited "significant environmental and financial liabilities" linked to abandonment of the mines and did not disclose operational and financial plans (Mining Technology/GlobalData, reporting Reuters, 1 July 2025). Firefinch left Morila in 2022. The economy minister said mining would restart while taking account of environmental and social requirements tied to future closure (a paraphrase reported by Benin Web TV).
At the still-operating Sadiola mine (SEMOS), a NI 43-101 technical report dated 12 June 2023 gave closure costs at 31 December 2022, excluding retrenchment, as "$89.6 million" in the summary and "$87.6 million" (table total 87.56) in Section 20.6; the table lists tailings storage facilities at 8.81, waste rock dumps at 24.25, social closure at 9.04 and contingency at 11.55 (USD million), among other items. Allied Gold "voluntarily committed to the 0.25% royalty for community development and environmental escrow for mine closure at $0.67/t ore" and to a bank guarantee at $0.67/t of mill feed after the expansion plant is commissioned.
The same report records that arsenic exceeded release guideline concentrations in 38% of waste rock samples at Sadiola, that the tailings show arsenic and antimony as highly enriched, and that some water may require storage onsite and re-use because of elevated arsenic, fluoride and molybdenum. The Yatela heap-leach pads were still being irrigated in 2023, with loaded carbon toll-treated at Sadiola.
- 201914 Feb: share purchase agreement for SADEX's 80% of Yatela for USD 1, with a one-time payment of approximately USD 18.5 million to a state agency
- 20216 Jan: Council of Ministers creates the Yatela rehabilitation and closure fund; no amount stated
- 2022Firefinch leaves Morila
- 202312 Jun: NI 43-101 technical report on Sadiola gives closure costs and arsenic data
- 202417 Oct: Yatela handback signed; mine integrated into SOREM-Mali SA
- 202527 Jun–1 Jul: takeover of Yatela and Morila completed; government cites significant environmental and financial liabilities
What was said
“for a consideration of $1”
“SADEX and its affiliated companies will be released of all obligations relating to the Yatela mine including those relating to rehabilitation, mine closure and the financing of social programs”
“the creation of a dedicated state agency, notably in charge of mine rehabilitation and closure”
“significant environmental and financial liabilities”
“voluntarily committed to the 0.25% royalty for community development and environmental escrow for mine closure at $0.67/t ore”
Where accounts differ
Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.
USD 89.6 million, excluding retrenchment.
Datamine (Snowden Optiro) for Allied GoldUSD 87.6 million (table total 87.56), excluding retrenchment.
Datamine (Snowden Optiro) for Allied GoldOn completion SADEX and affiliates would be released of all obligations relating to the mine, including rehabilitation and mine closure, after a payment of approximately USD 18.5 million.
IAMGOLDThe takeover of Yatela and Morila was linked to significant environmental and financial liabilities from abandonment of the mines.
Mining Technology/GlobalData via Yahoo FinanceHow it looked
Shown
- The USD 18.5 million payment corresponds to the estimated costs of completing rehabilitation and closure and financing certain outstanding social programs.IAMGOLD Q1 2019 results release · IAMGOLD
- The takeover of Yatela and Morila was linked to significant environmental and financial liabilities from abandonment of the mines.Government of Mali, via Reuters, 1 July 2025 · Mining Technology/GlobalData via Yahoo Finance
- Mining would restart while taking account of environmental and social requirements tied to future closure.Mali's economy minister (paraphrase), via Benin Web TV, October 2024 · Benin Web TV (K. Aka)
- A rehabilitation and closure fund was created for Yatela.Mali's Council of Ministers, 6 January 2021 · Financial Afrik (D.B. Koné)
Recorded
- SADEX sold its 80% of Yatela for USD 1 and, on completion, was to be released of all obligations relating to rehabilitation, mine closure and social programs.
- Sadiola closure costs at 31 December 2022, excluding retrenchment: USD 89.6 million in the summary and USD 87.6 million in Section 20.6.
- Arsenic exceeded release guideline concentrations in 38% of Sadiola waste rock samples.
- No amount was stated for the Yatela fund in the 2021 government decision.
- No operational or financial plans were disclosed for the revived Yatela and Morila mines.
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
Responses on record
- iamgold (6 May 2019): IAMGOLD's Q1 2019 release stated that the approximately USD 18.5 million payment corresponds to the estimated costs of completing rehabilitation and closure and financing certain outstanding social programs, and that SADEX and its affiliates would be released of all obligations relating to the mine on completion. · IAMGOLD
- mali-gov (October 2024; July 2025): The government cited significant environmental and financial liabilities linked to abandonment of the mines; the economy minister said mining would restart while taking account of environmental and social requirements tied to future closure. · Mining Technology/GlobalData via Yahoo Finance
- allied-gold (12 June 2023): Its technical report records a voluntary commitment to a 0.25% royalty for community development and an environmental escrow for mine closure at $0.67 per tonne of ore, and a bank guarantee at $0.67 per tonne of mill feed after the expansion plant is commissioned. · Datamine (Snowden Optiro) for Allied Gold
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Disputed Closure obligations and liabilities at Yatela after the sale
Money
- None on record Consideration for SADEX's 80% of Yatela — USD 1.
- None on record Yatela contribution to the national and local economy to 31 December 2018 — 383.445 billion FCFA (Financial Afrik).
Court
- None on record No court case on record.
Accounts
- Disputed Sadiola closure costs at 31 December 2022
Record
- Not disclosed Not disclosed: an amount for the Yatela rehabilitation and closure fund; the January 2021 government decision states none.
- Not disclosed Not disclosed: operational and financial plans for the revived Yatela and Morila mines.
- None on record None on record: a closure or rehabilitation fund amount for Morila.
- Not measured Not measured: post-closure environmental conditions at Yatela and Morila.
- Disputed Figures differ: IAMGOLD's 2019 release gives approximately USD 18.5 million for the Yatela closure payment; other reports give about USD 37.0 million and USD 36 million. The release does not say whether its figure covers IAMGOLD's share only.
- Unclear Unclear: whether the Yatela closure payment was received by the state agency and how it was spent.
Did the harm stop?
Not established. The Yatela heap-leach pads were still irrigated in 2023, and no post-closure environmental data for Yatela or Morila are on record.
Who paid?
The Malian state took over the mines in 2024–2025 citing significant environmental and financial liabilities; a one-time payment of approximately USD 18.5 million for Yatela's rehabilitation and closure went to a state agency, while the sale price of the 80% was USD 1.
Sources
Company or project
- Q1 2019 results release, Yatela sale (Exhibit 99.1)IAMGOLD · 2019-05-06
- NI 43-101 Technical Report, Sadiola Gold ProjectDatamine (Snowden Optiro) for Allied Gold · 2023-06-12
Press and investigations
- Mali: towards the final closure of the Yatela gold mineFinancial Afrik (D.B. Koné) · 2021-01-08
- Mali takes back full control of the Yatela gold mineBenin Web TV (K. Aka) · 2024-10-19
- Mali government takes over abandoned Yatela and Morila gold minesMining Technology/GlobalData via Yahoo Finance · 2025-07-01
Connected cases
- Artisanal gold in Mali: mercury use and its money (Minamata National Action Plan) Mali · 2018–2020 Related matter
- Government of Mali (Government) — here: Buyer of Yatela; created the closure fund; took over Yatela and Morila; there: Ministry of Environment, Sanitation and Sustainable Development published the plan
- Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex: Barrick–Mali dispute, provisional administration and settlement Mali · 2023–2026 Related matter
- Government of Mali (Government) — here: Buyer of Yatela; created the closure fund; took over Yatela and Morila; there: 20% owner; claimant in tax and mining-code dispute; party to the settlement
- Malibya concession in the Office du Niger and the Inner Niger Delta water balance Mali · 2008–2019
- Government of Mali (Government) — here: Buyer of Yatela; created the closure fund; took over Yatela and Morila; there: Party to the 2008 convention; granted the land and water rights