Artisanal gold mining in Mauritania has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, with the government's organization of the subsector and the return of national and foreign investors to the waste processing sector.

The government has authorized several category F semi-industrial companies to process waste from artisanal workshops in Chami and Zouerate and extract residual gold (55 authorizations). These are primarily joint-stock companies.

In this context, the National Federation of Gold Factories (FENOR) was created to organize its members to effectively contribute to this significant development in the artisanal mining subsector and also to create an appropriate framework for cooperation, consultation, and complementarity among member companies.