Using a qualitative survey method, this chapter analyses the social representations and the economic impact of the measures to combat Covid-19 in the artisanal gold mining sector during the first quarter of the appearance of the pandemic in Burkina Faso in the year 2020. The results show that the denial of the existence of this disease and its assimilation to an old local disease were more present among the operational actors of gold production, while the recognition of its existence was more widespread among the institutional actors (State structures) and NGOs. A crisis of trust in the State was significant in the face of government measures, and this has the effect of slowing down prevention. The implementation of restrictive measures by the State had negative impacts—contraction of the local gold market, indebtedness, and bankruptcy of several players as well as the emergence of new players in the marketing chain—alongside the positive impacts on the economic plan including profits made by artisanal miners.

Burkina Faso, artisanal mining, Covid-19, Social representation, Economic impact