Find Mining expertise in Mauritius

There is no commercial mining of coal or precious stone in Mauritius.

Quarrying in Mauritius contribute 0.1% of GDP (2007). Mining and minerals are for the most part utilised through manufacturing. The sector is characterised by basalt construction stone, coral sand, lime from coral, semi-manufactured steel and solar-evaporated sea salt. Imported diamonds are cut by local companies. Rolling mills import ingot as raw material and produce rebar (or reinforcing bar) and welded mesh. Mauritius Chemical and Fertilizer Industry Ltd is the country’s only producer of fertilisers. Fuels and mining products constitute about 20% of the country’s total imports (2007). Mauritius has no identified resources of fossil fuels, though Gamma Civic Ltd operates an asphalt plant. The demand for all other petroleum products is met through imports.

Sand quarrying along the coast and in lagoons as well as coral rock quarrying have been banned since 2001 due to environmental concerns of sustainability and ecosystem destruction. Offshore deposits of sand and coral rock are being extracted, but again, environmental concerns have called for stricter regulation by the government. Activities have shifted focus to basalt sands inland, producing over a million tons per year.