In 2025, our Essakane mine reached a major milestone: 15 years since entering production. Guided by the theme “15 years of mining adventure, a collective success,” the anniversary marked more than a passage of time: it celebrated our people, partnerships, local communities and the shared commitment that have shaped Essakane into one of IAMGOLD’s greatest success stories.
Honouring Local Partnerships
To recognize the long-standing collaboration with regional partners, the Essakane team hosted a brunch in Ouagadougou late last year. Local suppliers and business partners joined IAMGOLD representatives to reflect on shared achievements, discuss opportunities for improvement and explore future prospects.
The event underscored the essential role local businesses play in Essakane’s success and reaffirmed our commitment to responsible, inclusive and collaborative development in Burkina Faso.
Celebrating Employees and Their Contributions
A dedicated employee celebration was held onsite as part of Essakane’s annual Employee Day. The event featured a special meal prepared by the site’s skilled culinary team, artistic and cultural performances, and recognition certificates for all employees with 15 years of service. This was an opportunity to honour the dedication, resilience and expertise of our valued workforce.
Strengthening Community Dialogue
As part of the anniversary activities, Essakane also convened a communications committee meeting with administrative authorities from the Liptako region, along with traditional leaders and representatives from diverse social groups. The session reaffirmed our commitment to transparent communication with the community as Essakane continues to evolve.
A Look Back at Our Journey
In 2009, IAMGOLD announced the purchase of Orezone Resources, acquiring the Essakane gold mine project in Burkina Faso. When construction began in the same year, the mine was the largest private foreign investment in Burkina Faso at the time.
Shortly after, the plant began testing to achieve operational and production throughput standards. This process led to the start of commercial production at Essakane in July 2010, ahead of schedule. The official inauguration of the mine took place on October 7, 2010, marked by a first gold pour ceremony.
Local community joined IAMGOLD and Burkina Faso officials during the 2010 inauguration.
Essakane’s Impact & Highlights
Essakane has a long-standing community development program that supports several initiatives, such as food security, economic development, health and disease prevention, infrastructure development and training. A few recent highlights:
Looking Ahead
“Fifteen years of production at Essakane reflect not only operational excellence, but also the strength of the relationships built along the way. It means 15 years of contributions to Burkina Faso’s socioeconomic development and of investment in human capital through our employees, our interns, scholarships and learning opportunities,” said Tidiane Barry, General Manager, Essakane.
“As Essakane enters its next chapter, we continue to honour the collective spirit and commitment to innovative, responsible mining that defines our work. We are incredibly thankful for our dedicated employees, our partners and community members,” said Bruno Lemelin, Chief Operating Officer.
Congratulations to the Essakane team!