Sudan’s gold production is expected to reach 100 tons this year, and the country says this will move it to No. 2 in Africa and No. 9 in the world for mining the precious metal, Sudan Tribune reported.

The country’s gold, like its 22-year leader, Omar al-Bashir, is mired in controversy. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

In 2015, South Africa was the top gold producer in Africa and No. 7 in the world with 140 tonnes mined. Ghana was No. 2 in Africa and No. 10 in the world with 91 tonnes mined, according to the U.S. Geological Survey and USAgold.com. Sudan ranked No. 3 in Africa and No. 17 out of 97 countries.

Traditional mining represents 90 percent of gold production in Sudan, Sudan Tribune reported.

Historically, Sudan exported most of its gold from mines in the relatively peaceful northeastern part of the country, Akshaya Kumar wrote in a report for the EnoughProject, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit founded in 2007 to end genocide and crimes against humanity.

Until 2012, 74 percent of Sudan’s proven gold reserves were managed through just two companies: the Canadian-Egyptian-Sudanese joint venture Ariab and the Moroccan-Sudanese venture Managem.

Their concessions are in Red Sea and Nile states, and although these large-scale mines attracted criticism for poor labor conditions and negative environmental impact, the country’s gold trade was never directly touched by wars until 2012 with the discovery of significant gold deposits in North Darfur.

Gold coming from Sudan is conflict-affected, high risk, and helping to destabilize the country, Kumar said in a March 2015 report.

Gold has been the main source of income in Sudan since it became an oil importer when South Sudan seceded in 2011, according to Reuters.

Al-Bashir led a first-ever meeting of the Sudanese Higher Council for Mining. Mohamed Sadiq al-Karouri, Sudanese Minister of Minerals, told reporters that gold companies operating in the country must step up production, Sudan Tribune reported.

The government has started to cancel concessions given to small mining companies that failed to begin exploration activities within an agreed period.

The U.S. sponsored a draft U.N. Security Council resolution extending sanctions related to the Darfur conflict and adding restrictions on gold mining, Reuters reported in February.

According to the United Nations, as many as 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur, some 4.4 million people need aid and more than 2.5 million have been displaced.