Burkina Faso Opens First Gold Refinery To Keep Mining Wealth At Home - Arise News

AI desk brief

Burkina Faso has opened its first gold refinery, Raffinor-BF, as the military government pushes to capture more value domestically and tighten state control over the mining sector. The plant cost CFA11bn ($19m), will initially refine 164 tonnes a year, and could eventually reach 515 tonnes, enough to handle local production and potentially gold from neighbouring countries.

The move sits alongside tighter sector controls, including a 15% state stake requirement for foreign miners and a 2024 suspension of artisanal and semi-mechanised gold exports. The World Gold Council said Burkina Faso’s gold output rose 17% y/y in Q2 2026, but smuggling and informal trading remain major headwinds.