Ivory Coast gold production surged 19.7 per cent to 4,829.1 kg in the year to May, compared with the same period a year ago, the west African nation's treasury said on Friday, helped by high gold prices and favourable government policy.

The world's top cocoa-producing nation aims to diversify its economy away from cocoa, but a decade-long political conflict had slowed the development of its potentially substantial mineral resources.

It produced 12 tonnes of gold last year despite a violent four-month post-election standoff, up from 7 tonnes in 2010. The government has forecast annual output at about 25 tonnes by 2015 as new mines come on stream.

Record-breaking gold prices have rekindled interest in West African gold, and the Ivorian government has said it is keen to harness the sector's potential earning power.

West Africa-focused Randgold Resources, Australia's Newcrest Mining and Toronto-listed La Mancha Resources all operate mines in the country.

Earlier in August, the government granted production permits to Canada's Endeavour Mining Corp and Occidental Gold, a unit of Australia's Perseus Mining Limited.