The entities and investors interested in mining of the mineral resources go through exploration and exploitation stages of the licensing process.
In the Gambia so far the main potential mineral resources identified and that provide mining opportunities are the heavy mineral sands, quartz sands, laterite, clay and other sand varieties for construction.
The coastal areas (Batokunku, Sanyang and Kartong) of the Gambia are endowed with heavy mineral sand deposits containing valuable economic minerals (ilmenite, rutile and zircon). Other areas such as the coastline from Essau to Ginak kajata in the North Bank and other inland areas need detail exploration.