Taoudenni is the Saharan salt-mining town in northern Mali that became a major successor to medieval Taghaza.
Taoudenni lies in an extremely remote part of the Sahara, roughly 750 kilometres north of Timbuktu. Its salt is obtained from ancient lake-bed deposits rather than from a conventional underground mine. Workers dig shallow pits, remove layers of clay, and extract salt slabs by hand.
Camel caravans traditionally carried the slabs south toward Timbuktu. The journey is difficult because Taoudenni has no permanent road connection and very little surface water. The salt trade therefore depends on specialized transport and long-established desert routes.
Taoudenni and Taghaza are both associated with Saharan salt production, but they are separate settlements. Taoudenni rose in importance after Taghaza was abandoned, making it the better-known surviving salt center.