Early signs of activity include Kinross Gold's March decision to expand its Mauritanian gold mine and Goldcorp acquisition of junior Kaminak for $520 million in May.
The country lost at least $27.5 million in revenue from lapis lazuli between 2014 and 2015. In contrast, armed groups earned about $20 million just in 2014.
Martin Abbot says brokers are unhappy with the exchange's new fees as well as the sense that the LME is moving away from its traditional metals trading roots.