The Mali Empire and the Ghana Empire were the two West African empires that became wealthy from trading salt and gold. The Ghana Empire lasted from c. 400 to c. 1200.
gold and salt
gold
it became part of of Mali when it was colonized and under control of the french because Mali had lots of gold and the french people wanted all that gold from Mali
the Mali Empire
gold
The West African source of gold was primarily located in the regions of the Sahel, particularly in what is now modern-day Mali and Ghana. The famous Ghana Empire, along with the Mali Empire, was known for its rich gold mines, particularly in places like Bambuk and Bure. These areas became central to trade routes and contributed significantly to the wealth and power of the empires in the region.
salt
salt
Mali formed in the Southern area in what was Ghana's empire and used much of the infrastructure of the former (especially gold-mining) to make an economy more effective.
New discoveries of Gold along River Niger made Mali wealthy.
The Ghana Empire prospered as the "land of gold" far to the west.