Mining and gold in Suriname: licences, rules and opportunities

Mining rights are granted by the Minister of Natural Resources, on the advice of the Geological Mining Service (GMD), under the 1986 Mining Decree. A small-scale gold right covers at most 200 hectares for two years; the large mines operate under a mineral agreement approved by the National Assembly. In 2026 the government is tightening control of the gold sector: a Gold Board is coming, a revised Mining Act is ready, and after the pollution of the Saramacca River operators who break the rules are to be shut down.

On this page (18)

• Who does what
• The law: an old decree, new laws on the way
• Types of mining rights
• Applying for a mining right
• What you pay
• Small-scale gold mining: registration and oversight
• Mercury, cyanide and JinChan
• Environmental duties
• Communities and traditional rights
• The large projects
• Gold exports and the Central Bank
• EITI: what the sector pays
• Becoming a supplier to a mine
• Risks
• What if...
• Checklist
• Sources
• Frequently asked questions

Who does what

Body	Role	You deal with it when
Ministry of Natural Resources (NH)	Mining policy, granting mining rights, monitoring committee for the large mines	you apply for, renew or transfer a mining right
Geological Mining Service (GMD)	Cadastre of mining rights, geological maps, mine inspection, advice to the minister	you want to know whether an area is free, or you are inspected
Small-Scale Gold Sector Regulation Commission (OKGS)	Registration of small-scale gold miners, action against illegal mining, under the Cabinet of the President	you work in or supply the small-scale gold sector
National Environmental Authority (NMA) and Ministry of Oil, Gas and Environment (OGM)	Environmental permits, impact assessment, control of chemicals	you mine, process or use chemicals
Foreign Exchange Commission and Ministry of Economic Affairs	Annual licence for gold buyers and exporters; permission for each export shipment	you want to buy or export gold
Tax Administration	Royalty, income tax, wage tax, consent and statistical fees	you produce, export or employ staff
Bauxite Institute (BIS) and Grassalco	Advice on bauxite policy; state mining company with its own concessions	you partner in bauxite or on a state concession
EITI Suriname	Publishes what mining and oil companies pay and what the state receives	you want to vet a partner or the sector

The law: an old decree, new laws on the way

The Mining Decree of 8 May 1986 (E-58, S.B. 1986 no. 28) and the State Decree of 11 May 1989 (S.B. 1989 no. 39) are still the core. All minerals in the ground and in the exclusive economic zone belong to the state, separately from whoever owns the land. A land title or a timber concession therefore gives you no right to mine. The decree distinguishes five groups: bauxite, radioactive minerals, hydrocarbons, other minerals (such as gold) and building materials. Rights to radioactive minerals and to oil and gas are only granted to state companies; oil and gas run through Staatsolie (see Oil and gas).

The decree requires mining by modern international methods, protection of health, safety and ecosystems, and priority for local workers and local purchasing where these are available at comparable price and quality. Large projects get their own mineral agreement with the state, which parliament approves as a law; amendments also go through parliament.

What is changing

• Revised Mining Act and DAS law. The draft Mining Act 2024 and the draft law for the Suriname Minerals Authority (DAS) were presented in July 2024, covering local content, environmental and social impact assessment, rights of indigenous and tribal peoples, higher fines and more transparency. The DAS will have three departments: geological survey, cadastre and mine inspection. According to the EITI report both laws are in final form; on 26 October 2026 they were not on parliament's list of bills. In June 2026 Minister Abiamofo named benefit sharing with communities as a key provision.
• Gold Board. On 3 August and in her annual address of 30 September 2026, President Simons announced a Gold Authority to be set up by law, supervising the chain from extraction to export with full traceability. The draft law was due to go to parliament in the fourth quarter of 2026.
• Small-scale gold strategy. The Responsible Mining Strategy and Action Plan 2026-2036 was validated on 25 May 2026: six pillars, from cleaner technology to formalisation and enforcement.

Track the status on New laws and rules.

Types of mining rights

Right	Term	Maximum area	Transferable
Reconnaissance: general search for minerals	2 years, one 1-year extension	200,000 ha	No
Exploration: targeted search and drilling	3 years, two 2-year extensions; the area shrinks 25% each time	40,000 ha	Yes, with written approval
Exploitation: industrial-scale extraction	Up to 25 years, renewable	10,000 ha	Yes, with written approval
Small-scale mining: reconnaissance, exploration and extraction in one right	2 years, renewable for 2 years at a time	200 ha	No
Building materials: sand, gravel, stone, clay	5 years, renewable for up to 5 years at a time	400 ha	Yes

Source: table 19 of the EITI report 2023-2024, based on chapters IV to VIII of the Mining Decree. Bauxite rights go to state and private companies; rights to other minerals and building materials also to individuals.

Applying for a mining right

1. Find out whether the area is free. Hand in a map with the desired area and coordinates in person at the GMD. The GMD checks the cadastre for existing rights. The GMD's online map portal requires a login, so the EITI report does not consider the register truly public.
2. Draft the application. In writing, in Dutch, in triplicate, addressed to the Minister of NH, dated and signed (article 10 of the decree). Individuals give name, date and place of birth, nationality and address in Suriname. Companies supply certified articles of association, the latest audited accounts, capital, and the names of directors and of a representative in Suriname. Make sure your company is registered with the KKF: Start a business.
3. Attach the work plan. For small-scale mining a work plan; for exploration a general programme and a detailed plan for the first 12 months with budget, plus a commitment to spend a minimum amount (the minister may ask for a bank guarantee); for building materials the method of extraction, the annual quantity and a plan to make the land usable again afterwards.
4. Show your capacity. Article 9 requires proof of financial position, technical and organisational capacity and experience with the mineral.
5. Advice. The GMD asks for advice from the ministry responsible for land and from the district commissioner. If the advice is positive, the GMD sends a proposal to the minister, who decides.
6. Decision and registration. The right is set out in a decision stating type, location, coordinates and district, and takes effect once entered in the register at the mortgage office.
7. Sort out the rest before you start. Environmental permit from the NMA (see Environmental rules for business), agreements with the community, staff and any work permits (Work and residence permits), and insurance (Business insurance).

Processing times and application fees are not published online. Ask the Mining Directorate of NH or the GMD, and ask for a dated receipt: the EITI report found there is no public overview of applications and their status.

What you pay

The decree provides for an annual area tax per hectare for holders of exploration rights (article 63) and a royalty for holders of exploitation, small-scale and building-materials rights, set by state decree (article 65). On top of that you pay ordinary taxes: income tax, wage tax and AOV for staff (Business taxes), VAT, and on imported equipment import duty, consent and statistical fees (Importing goods).

Royalty on small-scale gold

Small and medium miners do not pay the royalty themselves: they sell their gold to buyers and exporters, and the exporter pays the royalty on export. The rate has changed often:

• 1997: cut from 3% to 1%; 2015: raised to 2.75%.
• 2021: raised to 7.5%, but never applied after protests and fears of smuggling; set at 4.5% from 1 January 2022.
• 2023: 5.5% (S.B. 2023 no. 35), the rate during the EITI years 2023 and 2024.
• March 2026: the government temporarily lowered the royalty to counter smuggling, saying the rate may go up again if smuggling does not fall. The new percentage was not in the reports we found; ask the Tax Administration for the current rate.

Large mines

Under its mineral agreement Rosebel pays 2.25% of monthly refined production in kind, plus 4.25% in cash when the gold price is above USD 425 per troy ounce. Newmont pays 6% of net smelter returns. Building materials also carry their own royalty, raised in 2017.

Small-scale gold mining: registration and oversight

The small-scale sector is large and largely informal. In 2024, 11,042 kg of the 27,642 kg of gold came from small and medium-scale mining. The EITI report cites estimates of up to 60,000 people in the sector, many of them migrants.

• Registration with OKGS. In the second week of July 2026 the Small-Scale Gold Sector Regulation Commission started a six-month pilot to register everyone working in or around the gold sector. You can sign up at the OKGS office, Mr. Jagernath Lachmonstraat 181, Paramaribo. Earlier, the Gold Sector Regulation commission (OGS, since 2011) issued registration cards to about 19,000 miners.
• Protected areas. Gold mining is banned in nature parks and reserves. In August 2026 OKGS seized equipment near the Irene Falls in Brownsberg Nature Park and ordered miners to leave.
• Security. In March 2026 President Simons spoke of heavily armed criminals in the sector and announced a special police unit for 2026. Robberies in the interior are common; plan for this when moving gold, fuel and cash. See also Workplace safety.
• Selling gold. Only to buyers and exporters licensed by the Foreign Exchange Commission. In March 2026, 39 companies were licensed, but only a few actually exported. Ask for a receipt with every sale; the EITI report notes that receipts currently do not state the origin, which the Gold Board is meant to change.
• Money laundering risk. Gold trading is a high-risk sector for money laundering. Buyers must identify customers and report unusual transactions: Anti-money laundering rules.

Mercury, cyanide and JinChan

Suriname has been a party to the Minamata Convention on mercury since 2018 and adopted a National Action Plan in December 2023 to reduce mercury in small-scale gold mining. According to the EITI report there is still no national law regulating mercury use in mining. What is changing:

• Chemical imports. Since the amended Negative List of 2026, chemicals for gold processing (Gold Ore Dressing Agents) need an import licence. See New laws and rules.
• JinChan. This leaching agent is widely used, often together with mercury. In April 2026 NH, OGM and the NMA announced stricter rules on import, storage, transport and use.
• Enforcement after the Saramacca River. After the pollution of the Saramacca River in 2026, the NMA was instructed to close gold mining operations found breaking the rules (annual address, 30 September 2026).
• Alternatives. The EMSAGS project and planetGOLD (UNDP, GEF and NH) train miners in mercury-free methods. The second Mining, Training and Extension Center opened in Snesi Kondre on 27 March 2026. Grassalco shows at Maripaston that gold can be recovered without mercury.

Large mines use cyanide under NMA supervision. If you sell or transport chemicals to the sector, expect more questions about origin, licences and storage.

Environmental duties

Besides the mining right you need an environmental permit under the Environmental Framework Act, with an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) for larger projects. When your right ends, the decree requires you to ensure public safety, rehabilitate the area and protect the environment. The old decree sets no rehabilitation plan requirement for small-scale mining; the new law and the NMA do. So include the cost of rehabilitation and replanting in your budget. Everything on permits, ESIA and enforcement: Environmental rules for business.

Communities and traditional rights

Many gold areas lie in or next to the lands of indigenous and tribal (Maroon) communities. Their collective land rights are not yet regulated by law in Suriname: two bills on collective rights are before parliament. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled in the Saramaka People case (2007) and the Kaliña and Lokono case (2015) that Suriname must recognise those rights and consult communities beforehand. On 30 September 2026 President Simons said the protection of these living areas will come first.

• Talk early with the traditional authority (captain, granman) and the district commissioner, before you send in equipment.
• Work on the basis of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC). International lenders and large buyers require it, and the draft Mining Act includes rights of indigenous and tribal peoples.
• Put agreements in writing: access, jobs, compensation, water and roads. Large mines work through funds, such as the Rosebel Community Fund and the Newmont Pamaka Community Development Foundation.
• Expect conflicts between small-scale miners and large concessions, and between mining and logging, farming or tourism in the same area. See also Buying land and property.

The large projects

Project	Owner	Status
Rosebel (Brokopondo), gold	Zijin Mining 95%, state 5% (since 2023, before that IAMGOLD)	Open pit since 2004; 2024 production: 8,055 kg
Saramacca (Pikin Saramacca), gold	Rosebel 70%, Staatsolie 30%	Producing since 2019; extends Rosebel's mine life to 2033
Merian (south of Moengo), gold	Newmont 75%, Staatsolie 25%	Commercial production since 1 October 2016; 2024 production: 8,545 kg; second tailings facility needed from 2027
West Suriname bauxite (Bakhuis, Apoera)	MoU with Chinalco (November 2024), state 13%	Mining agreement withdrawn from parliament in September 2025 for renegotiation; in November 2025 the President said raw bauxite will not be exported
Exploration (including Sela Creek, Nassau, Majorodam)	Foreign juniors with Surinamese partners, such as Miata Metals and Greenheart Gold	Drilling programmes in 2025; openings for drilling, camp and transport services

The Chinalco deal was contested: business groups and environmental organisations pointed to tax exemptions, loss of primary forest, the lack of an ESIA and the interests of the communities near Apoera. The current government wants bauxite to be processed in Suriname. Sector figures and other opportunities: Sectors and opportunities.

Gold exports and the Central Bank

Gold exporters need an annual licence from the Foreign Exchange Commission and permission from the Ministry of Economic Affairs for each shipment. Purity and weight are determined before export, the royalty is paid in advance, and since 17 August 2026 gold exporters sell 35% of their proceeds to the Central Bank. The procedure is on Exporting from Suriname; today's gold price and the Central Bank's gold certificates on Gold and oil price. According to the Foreign Exchange Commission most gold goes to the United Arab Emirates, France and Luxembourg.

If you sell to a European refinery or buyer, it must be able to trace the origin of the gold under the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation (2017/821). Expect questions about licences, mine location and mercury use: EU rules for Surinamese suppliers.

EITI: what the sector pays

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is an international standard: companies report what they pay the state, the state reports what it receives, and an independent party reconciles the figures. The report on 2023 and 2024 was published in January 2026 (the Dutch translation on 28 January 2026), prepared by BDO for the multi-stakeholder group under NH, with World Bank funding.

Item	2023	2024
Government receipts from mining	SRD 6.2 billion	SRD 6.9 billion
Total gold production	30,108 kg	27,642 kg
of which small and medium scale	11,760 kg	11,042 kg
Royalties (mining and oil combined)	SRD 3.7 billion	SRD 3.8 billion

Useful for business owners: the report names the licensed gold exporters, the payments per large company and the weak spots, such as conflicting data between the GMD, the Foreign Exchange Commission and Economic Affairs. Use it to vet a business partner or a concession. In 2025 production fell further according to the Central Bank; see Sectors and opportunities.

Becoming a supplier to a mine

For most Surinamese companies this is the real opportunity. The decree gives local purchasing priority at comparable price and quality, and a Local Content Act is being prepared (New laws and rules). According to the EITI report, Newmont invested at least USD 11 million in host communities and local procurement in 2023 and 2024. What large mines ask of a supplier:

• Registration in their supplier portal, with complete company details. Incomplete information is the most common reason for delay or rejection.
• Compliance: KKF extract, tax clearance, insurance, an anti-corruption declaration and sometimes a look at your owners.
• Safety: a safety policy, trained staff, incident records and the right equipment. Strict rules apply on site. See Workplace safety.
• Tight paperwork: confirm an order before you deliver, and send invoices that match the purchase order exactly. Our Invoice generator and Quote generator tools can help.
• Capacity and continuity: able to deliver in the interior, also in the rainy season, with spare equipment and a plan for power and telecom outages (Power, water and internet).

Start small, for example with catering, transport (Shipping and logistics), maintenance, laboratory work or replanting, and build references. Follow the mines' procurement notices and the tenders on Tenders. More on supplying large companies: Become an oil and gas supplier. Business and employers' associations hold supplier trainings with the mines from time to time: Business associations.

Risks

• Legal uncertainty. The decree dates from 1986, new laws are announced but not passed, and the royalty changes often. Put your arrangements with the state in writing.
• Unclear rights. Overlapping titles, a cadastre that is not public, and illegal miners on your concession. Always have a right checked at the GMD and the mortgage office before you invest or buy.
• Land use. Large releases of forest for agriculture, such as 113,465 ha in Nickerie, debated in 2025 and 2026 because NMA permits were reportedly missing, show that land uses can clash. See Starting an agribusiness.
• Security and logistics in the interior: robberies, poor roads in the rainy season, expensive fuel.
• Environmental liability: closure and clean-up costs after pollution.
• Price and currency: the gold price can fall sharply, and the 35% rule and FX rules affect your cash flow (Exporting from Suriname, Exchange rates today).
• Reputation: European and international buyers look at mercury, child labour, land rights and origin.

What if...

• ...I bought land with gold in the ground? The minerals belong to the state. You need a mining right, and it may be granted to someone else. Get advice before you start digging.
• ...miners are working on my concession? Record it with photos and coordinates and report it to the GMD, the OKGS and the police. Do not enforce it yourself.
• ...I want to buy a mining right from someone else? A small-scale right cannot be transferred. Exploration and exploitation rights can, but only with written approval. Check the register and any disputes first.
• ...I want to extract sand or gravel for construction? There is a separate building-materials right (at most 400 ha, 5 years), with royalty and a rehabilitation plan. Apply to NH.
• ...I want to import equipment or chemicals? Check the Negative List and apply for the licence before you order: Importing goods.
• ...I need foreign specialists? Apply for work permits in time: Work and residence permits.

Checklist

• Company registered with the KKF, with a FIN tax number and a representative in Suriname
• Area checked in the GMD cadastre and at the mortgage office
• Application in triplicate, in Dutch, with work plan and proof of capacity
• Dated receipt for your application
• Environmental permit or ESIA arranged with the NMA
• Agreements with the traditional authority and district commissioner on paper
• Registration with OKGS (small-scale gold sector)
• Gold sold only to licensed buyers or exporters, with a receipt
• No mercury; chemicals with an import licence and safe storage
• Budget covering royalty, taxes, rehabilitation and security
• Safety plan, insurance and communications for the interior

Sources

• EITI Suriname: report 2023-2024 (Dutch translation, 28 January 2026)
• Decreet Mijnbouw 1986 (E-58)
• S.B. 2023 no. 35: amendment of the small-scale mining royalty decree
• NH: presentation of the draft Mining Act and DAS law (July 2024)
• NH: Minister Abiamofo on modernising mining law (June 2026)
• NH: validation of the Responsible Mining Strategy 2026-2036 (May 2026)
• Cabinet of the President: Gold Board (3 August 2026)
• Annual address 2027: regulating the gold sector (30 September 2026)
• Annual address 2027: oversight after the Saramacca River pollution (30 September 2026)
• Cabinet of the President: royalty cut and 39 licensed exporters (6 March 2026)
• OKGS: registration and Brownsberg (August 2026)
• NH and OGM: action on JinChan (April 2026)
• OGM: MTEC Snesi Kondre (March 2026)
• Minamata Convention: Suriname National Action Plan
• Caribbean Today: President on bauxite and Chinalco (November 2025)
• Mongabay: Nickerie land deal (February 2026)
• DNA: bills under consideration (including collective rights of indigenous and tribal peoples)
• Inter-American Court: Saramaka People v. Suriname (2007)
• Inter-American Court: Kaliña and Lokono Peoples v. Suriname (2015)
• Regulation (EU) 2017/821 (conflict minerals)
• EITI Suriname

Checked on 26 October 2026. General information, not legal advice. Mining rules and rates change; ask NH, the GMD or the Tax Administration for the current position.