Africa welcomes its newest gold refinery as another nation joins Burkina Faso, Ethiopia in refining gold at home
- Zambia has launched a new gold refinery to process the metal locally and increase value from its natural resources.
- The refinery can produce gold with purity levels between 99% and 99.99%, supporting efforts to formalize and expand gold mining.
- Several African nations, including Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burkina Faso, and Ethiopia, have recently inaugurated gold and precious metal refineries.
- Copper dominates Zambia's export economy, while gold currently accounts for just 2% of export earnings.
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Developed by Minera Refineries Zambia Limited, the facility is designed to refine gold to purity levels of between 99% and 99.99%, according to information released by the company.
The company has said the initiative could generate more than $1.8 billion as reported by Zambian Observer.
Its launch comes as several African countries invest in domestic refining capacity to strengthen control over mineral supply chains and expand the economic benefits of resource extraction.
Copper remains the backbone of Zambia’s mining economy, accounting for 66% of goods exports, worth $7.5 billion, in 2024.
Gold however, contributed just 2%, or $262 million, highlighting its smaller role in the country’s export earnings.
Andrew Mukupa Katandula, managing director of Minera Refineries Zambia Limited, outlined a proposed two-year plan to formalise artisanal gold mining, introduce targeted pre-financing for miners and improve transparency in gold production and trade.
Company representatives said the refinery’s technology meets international standards, claiming that gold sourced from Mpika and refined about two months earlier achieved high purity levels and attracted potential buyers.
The new refinery could help Zambia capture more value from its gold production, formalise small-scale mining and diversify its mineral exports, although its impact will depend on reliable supplies and commercial output.
A growing African push to refine gold locally
Zambia joins a group of African countries that have announced or inaugurated gold and precious-metals refining facilities in 2026. Nigeria reported the opening of a high-purity gold refinery in Lagos in January, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo inaugurated a refinery in Kalemie in March.
Burkina Faso inaugurated the RAFFINOR-BF refinery in Ouagadougou in September, followed by Ethiopia’s launch of a $50 million national precious-metals refinery in October. The facilities differ in their processing capacities, ownership structures and operational status, but reflect a broader interest in retaining more mineral-processing activity within African economies.
For Zambia, the long-term impact will depend on more than refining technology. Transparent gold purchasing, traceable supply chains and effective oversight of small-scale mining will be essential to bringing more production into formal channels.
The refinery’s unveiling therefore marks a step in Zambia’s effort to capture more value from its mineral resources, although its actual contribution to exports and government revenue will depend on its eventual operating performance.