Burkina Faso Opens First Gold Refinery to Keep Mining Profits at Home
The Raffinor-BF facility has an initial capacity of 164 tonnes of gold annually, with plans to increase it to 515 tonnes.
- Burkina Faso opens first gold refinery.
- Facility initially processes 164 tonnes annually.
- Government seeks greater control over gold profits.
Burkina Faso has opened its first gold refinery as the military-led government moves to process more of the country’s mineral resources domestically and increase state control over the mining sector.
Junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré said the refinery is part of efforts to end the country’s dependence on exporting raw minerals for processing abroad.
Speaking at the inauguration of the facility in Ouagadougou on Monday, Capt Traoré said the government wants Burkina Faso to control the entire value chain of its mineral resources.
“We want to refine all our metals on site… we want to have the entire value chain on site,” he said.
The new refinery, known as Raffinor-BF, cost more than 11 billion CFA francs, equivalent to about $19 million, according to the presidency.
The facility has an initial capacity to refine 164 tonnes of gold annually, significantly higher than Burkina Faso’s current annual production. Its capacity could eventually be increased to 515 tonnes.
The government hopes the facility will help transform Burkina Faso into a regional gold-refining hub while creating more value from its natural resources.
Burkina Faso is one of Africa’s major gold producers, with gold production rising by 17% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, according to the World Gold Council.
However, authorities have faced challenges regulating the country’s large artisanal and small-scale mining sector, where smuggling and informal trading have made it difficult to account for all gold produced.
The government has also alleged that illegally traded gold has helped finance Islamist militant groups involved in the country’s prolonged security crisis.
The refinery is part of Capt Traoré’s broader push to increase state involvement in the mining sector and reduce dependence on foreign companies.
Under new mining policies, foreign mining firms are required to give the state a 15% stake in their operations and train local workers.
Mines Minister Yacouba Zabré Gouba described the refinery’s opening as a major step towards retaining the economic benefits of Burkina Faso’s gold within the country.
“Our gold will no longer be used to create added value for others while our people remain in need,” he said.
The government says the refinery should eventually be capable of processing gold from both industrial and artisanal mines, as well as gold produced elsewhere in the region.
Other West African countries, including Ghana, Guinea, Mali and Ivory Coast, are also pursuing policies aimed at increasing domestic gold processing and reducing exports of unrefined gold.
