Burkina Faso inaugurated its first gold refinery, RAFFINOR-BF, in Ouagadougou on Monday, 28 September 2026. President Ibrahim Traoré opened the facility, which cost 11 billion CFA francs (about US$19 million) and was financed by the state and private partners.
The refinery has an initial capacity of 164 tonnes a year and will turn dore gold into bars with a purity of 99.9%. It is intended to keep more of the value from gold production within Burkina Faso.
Gold is the country’s leading export. Burkina Faso produced 94 tonnes in 2025, according to its Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries. In May 202, the government announced a sovereign mining fund to finance major investments.