Gold Generated Nearly Three-Quarters of Amhara’s Mineral Export Revenue

Gold generated 73.57% of Amhara Regional State’s mineral export revenue in Ethiopia’s 2025/26 fiscal year, according to a regional performance report presented to the state council.

Regional President Arega Kebede told the council that Amhara exported more than 28,000 kilograms of precious minerals during the year, earning $18.24 million in foreign exchange. The administration said both export volume and earnings exceeded its annual targets.

Raw opal supplied 18.70% of mineral export revenue, while value-added opal products contributed 7.73%, the report said.

The performance review also outlined results from geological exploration. Laboratory work over 20 square kilometres confirmed 146.72 metric tons of iron ore, while wider exploration across 10 square kilometres estimated iron ore reserves of 5.148 million tons. Surveys also identified estimated deposits of 2.5 billion tons of granite and 1.625 million tons of basalt.

Authorities said they identified more than 133,500 cubic metres of illegally extracted minerals with an estimated value of 34.8 million birr. Of that amount, 27.1 million birr had been recovered for the state treasury, with further legal and administrative action continuing.

The report said locally sourced substitutes for imported industrial minerals reached more than 6.75 million tons, producing an estimated $1.3 million in foreign-exchange savings. The regional government plans to expand exploration and export production while strengthening oversight of the sector.