Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (Running Africa) — Burkina Faso has inaugurated its first gold refinery, marking a major step in the country’s effort to process more of its mineral resources domestically and retain a larger share of the value generated by its gold industry.
President Ibrahim Traoré inaugurated the Raffinor-BF facility in Ouagadougou on Monday.
The refinery cost more than 11 billion CFA francs ($19 million) and was financed mainly through the state-owned National Precious Substances Company (SONASP) alongside private investors.
Burkina Faso Gold Refinery Can Process 164 Tons a Year
Raffinor-BF has an initial refining capacity of 164 tons of gold annually, with plans to increase capacity to 515 tons during a second phase.
The facility includes a foundry, laboratory, secure storage area and jewelry unit. It is designed to process gold doré into refined bars before the metal enters domestic or international markets.
The refinery could eventually process significantly more gold than Burkina Faso currently produces, supporting the government’s ambition to develop the country into a regional refining center for precious metals from across West Africa.
Burkina Faso Seeks More Value From Its Gold Industry
Burkinabè authorities say domestic refining will reduce the need to send unprocessed gold abroad and allow more of the economic value generated by the mining industry to remain within the country.
The project forms part of the Traoré government’s broader strategy to increase state participation in Burkina Faso’s mining sector.
In 2024, authorities approved a structure giving SONASP a 51% stake in the company behind the refinery. The government said the investment was intended to strengthen domestic processing and reduce exports of gold in raw form.
Burkina Faso Produced More Than 94 Tons of Gold in 2025
Gold remains one of Burkina Faso’s most important mineral resources.
The country produced more than 94 tons of gold in 2025, according to national mining authorities.
With Raffinor-BF now operational, Burkina Faso is seeking to move beyond primarily extracting gold toward refining and processing more of the precious metal at home, while potentially providing refining capacity to other producers in the region.
