Natural resources of Mauritania
Oil, gas, minerals, forests and water in Mauritania: what it produces, how it ranks in the world, who mines it and what it earns. Every figure is from an official source and is updated when the source is.
Resource rents, share of GDP (2021)
11.4 %
Resources, share of goods exports (2025)
73.7 %
Forest, share of land (2024)
1.0 %
Source: World Bank; UN Comtrade; U.S. Energy Information Administration. Last checked 24 October 2026.
| Iron Ore (usable ore) | 15,000 | thousand metric tons | 16 | 0.6 | 2 | Not published |
| Iron Ore (iron content) | 9,300 | thousand metric tons | 16 | 0.6 | 2 | Not published |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Mining and minerals
The U.S. Geological Survey records 8 mineral commodities with published production in Mauritania between 2017 and 2021, from metals and gemstones to industrial minerals and fuels. The table includes processed products such as cement and steel, which USGS reports alongside raw minerals.
Showing 8 of 8
| Copper, mine, concentrates, Cu content | Metals | Not published | 28,791 | 28,137 | 29,620 | 28,491 | 18,845 | 2019: r |
| Gold, mine, Au content | Metals | kilograms | 9,096 | 9,235 | 14,484 | 19,725 | 8,100 | Not published |
| Iron ore, mine, gross weight | Metals | thousand metric tons | 11,714 | 10,711 | 12,200 | 12,515 | 12,809 | 2021: e |
| Iron ore, mine, fe content | Metals | thousand metric tons | 7,320 | 6,694 | 7,625 | 7,822 | 8,005 | Not published |
| Cement, hydraulic | Industrial Minerals | thousand metric tons | 850 | 1,023 | 1,000 | 970 | 998 | 2018: r; 2019: r |
| Gypsum, mine | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 200,000 | 200,000 | 250,000 | 200,000 | 200,000 | 2018: e; 2019: e; 2020: e; 2021: e |
| Salt | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | Not published |
| Petroleum, crude | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 1,191 | 1,460 | Not published | Not published | Not published | 2019: --; 2020: --; 2021: -- |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook, country tables. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Showing 18 of 18
| Cement | BSA Ciment S.A. (Vicat Group, 65%) | Plant at Nouakchott | 450 | Not published |
| Cement | Ciment de Mauritanie S.A. | Plant at Nouakchott | 900 | Not published |
| Cement | Mauritano-Française des Ciments S.A. | Plant at Nouakchott | 450 | Not published |
| Cement | Société des Ciments du Nord (Ciments du Maroc) | Plant at Nouadhibou | 100 | Not published |
| Copper, mine, Cu content | Mauritanian Copper Mines S.A. (MCM) (First Quantum Minerals Ltd., 100%) | Guelb Moghrein Mine Akjoujt, Inchiri District | 30 | Not published |
| Gold, mine, Au content | Artisanal and small-scale miners | Inchiri District | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold, mine, Au content | Mauritanian Copper Mines S.A. (MCM) (First Quantum Minerals Ltd., 100%) | Guelb Moghrein Mine Akjoujt, Inchiri District | 1,500 | kilograms |
| Gold, mine, Au content | Tasiast Mauritanie Ltd. S.A. (Kinross Gold Corp., 100%) | Tasiast gold mine 300 kilometers north of Nouakchott | 8,000 | kilograms |
| Gypsum | Société Arabe des Industries Métallurgiques S.A. (SAMIA) [Industrial Bank of Kuwait, 50%, and Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM), 50%] | Mine at Sebkha N'dramcha Nouakchott | 300 | Not published |
| Crude ore | Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM) (Government, 78.35%; Industrial Bank of Kuwait K.S.C, 7.17%; Arab Mining Co., 5.66%; Iraq Foreign Development Fund, 4.59%; Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines, 2.30%; Islamic Development Bank, 1.79%; private investors, 0.14%) | Guelb el Rhein, Kedia d'Idjill, and M'Haoudat Mines, Tiris Zemmour region | 16,000 | Not published |
| Concentrated | Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM) (Government, 78.35%; Industrial Bank of Kuwait K.S.C, 7.17%; Arab Mining Co., 5.66%; Iraq Foreign Development Fund, 4.59%; Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines, 2.30%; Islamic Development Bank, 1.79%; private investors, 0.14%) | Guelb el Rhein plant 1 Tiris Zemmour region | 5,000 | Not published |
| Concentrated | Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM) (Government, 78.35%; Industrial Bank of Kuwait K.S.C, 7.17%; Arab Mining Co., 5.66%; Iraq Foreign Development Fund, 4.59%; Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines, 2.30%; Islamic Development Bank, 1.79%; private investors, 0.14%) | Guelb el Rhein plant 2 Tiris Zemmour region | 4,000 | Not published |
| Concentrated | Mauritanian Copper Mines S.A. (MCM) (First Quantum Minerals Ltd., 100%) | Guelb Moghrein Mine Akjoujt, Inchiri District | 600 | Not published |
| Iron and steel, raw steel | Société Arabe du Fer et de l'Acier S.A. (SAFA) [Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM), 100%] | Plant at Nouadhibou | 10 | Not published |
| Petroleum, crude thousand 42-gallon | PETRONAS International Corporation Ltd. (Petroliam Nasional Berhad, operator) | Chinguetti oilfield | Not published | Not published |
| Quartz | Mauritania Minerals Co. S.A. (MMC), 90%, and Government 10% | Mine at Oum Agueneina | 300 | Not published |
| Quartz | Quartz Inc. Mauritania S.A. (Quartz Inc., 90%, and Government 10%) | Mine and plant in Chami Province, 150 kilometers east of Nouadhibou | 200 | Not published |
| Salt | Société Mauritanienne des Industries du Sel (SOMISEL) | Sebkha de N'Terert and Sebkhet ej Jill brine pits, southwest | 10 | Not published |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook 2019, Mauritania. Last checked 24 October 2026.
What natural resources earn
Natural resource rents were 11.4% of GDP in 2021, with minerals the largest part. That ranks Mauritania 20th of 54 African countries. See all 54.
View the data as a table
| Period | Oil | Minerals | Coal | Forests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.4 % | 24.8 % | 4.6 % | 1.4 % |
| 2011 | 2.8 % | 21.6 % | 5.0 % | 1.4 % |
| 2012 | 2.3 % | 15.1 % | 2.4 % | 1.7 % |
| 2013 | 1.9 % | 11.8 % | 1.6 % | 1.6 % |
| 2014 | 1.5 % | 8.2 % | 1.5 % | 2.0 % |
| 2015 | 0.5 % | 2.3 % | 1.0 % | 2.4 % |
| 2016 | 0.4 % | 4.3 % | 0.9 % | 2.4 % |
| 2017 | 0.5 % | 5.1 % | 1.3 % | 2.2 % |
| 2018 | 0.0 % | 0.4 % | 1.1 % | 1.3 % |
| 2019 | 0.0 % | 0.6 % | 0.8 % | 1.2 % |
| 2020 | 0.0 % | 0.6 % | 0.5 % | 1.3 % |
| 2021 | 0.0 % | 9.6 % | 0.7 % | 1.2 % |
| 2022 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2023 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2024 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2025 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2026 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Forest, share of land (2024)
1.0 %
Arable land, share of land (2024)
0.4 %
Renewable fresh water per person (2022)
82 m³
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Method and sources
Oil, gas and coal output and coal reserves are from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Oil and gas proved reserves are the EIA figures republished by Our World in Data; oil is converted from cubic metres to barrels at the standard factor. World production, reserves and ranks are from the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries, ranked among the countries USGS names. The full list of commodities and the companies that mine them are from the USGS Minerals Yearbook country tables, which run a few years behind. Rents, land and water are from the World Bank, and export shares from UN Comtrade. Nothing is estimated by us. Figures last checked on 24 October 2026.
USGS country page for Mauritania. EIA international energy data. World Bank resource rents.
Frequently asked questions
What natural resources does Mauritania have?
Mauritania's main natural resources are copper, gold and iron ore. Gold, diamonds and precious metals made up 36.5% of its goods exports in 2025, and all resources together 73.7%. The World Bank puts natural resource rents at 11.4% of GDP in 2021, mostly from minerals. The U.S. Geological Survey also records production of gypsum and salt.
Does Mauritania produce oil?
The U.S. Energy Information Administration records no meaningful crude oil production for Mauritania in 2025. It does list proved reserves of 20 million barrels (2021).
What is Mauritania's most valuable natural resource?
By export earnings, gold, diamonds and precious metals: 36.5% of goods exports in 2025, according to UN Comtrade.
How much do natural resources contribute to Mauritania's economy?
Natural resource rents, the value of resources extracted minus the cost of extracting them, were 11.4% of GDP in 2021. That ranks Mauritania 20th of 54 African countries.
Which companies mine in Mauritania?
The U.S. Geological Survey's 2019 list of Mauritania's mineral industry names 13 operating companies, including BSA Ciment S.A., Ciment de Mauritanie S.A., Mauritano-Française des Ciments S.A., Société des Ciments du Nord and Mauritanian Copper Mines S.A.. The full list is on this page.
Where does Mauritania rank in world mineral production?
In 2025, Mauritania ranked 16th for iron ore (usable ore) and 16th for iron ore (iron content) among the producers the U.S. Geological Survey lists.