Madagascar has lifted a 16-year moratorium on new mining permits for most minerals, the government said late on Thursday, but the suspension on gold permits will remain due to regulatory challenges.

The suspension, imposed to allow a review of the country's mining governance and legal framework, has kept the issuance of new licences on hold since 2010.

Mining is a cornerstone of Madagascar's economy, with key exports including nickel, cobalt, graphite, and ilmenite.

The Ambatovy nickel/cobalt project remains the country's flagship mining operation, attracting significant foreign investment and contributing a major share of export earnings.

"Mining permit is an essential working tool that allows operators and investors to operate legally," Carl Andriamparany, Madagascar's Minister of Mines, told a press conference late on Thursday.

"That is why we have decided to lift the suspension on issuing permits," he said.

As of 2023, some 1 650 applications for mining permits were pending with the mining administration, according to Madagascar’s most recent Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) report published at the end of 2025.

However, the government decided to maintain the moratorium on gold mining permits. Andriamparany cited substantial discrepancies between officially reported gold production and the scale of artisanal mining.

"According to official statistics for the past year ... the volume of gold declared amounts to just over 13 kilograms," he said, calling the figure "negligible" compared with the intensity of mining activity nationwide.

"In light of this situation, the government has acknowledged our current inability to effectively regulate the sector and establish a rigorous monitoring system."