The Democratic Republic of the Congo has inaugurated its first pilot gold refinery in Kalemie, a move aimed at enabling domestic gold refining for the first time and enhancing oversight of the country’s lucrative gold sector.
The facility, DRC Gold Refinery S.A., is projected to process 500 to 600 kilograms of gold monthly, managing the entire value chain from gold purchase to refining and the production of bullion bars.
The refinery was officially opened on March 11 in the presence of Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba, Minister of State for Planning Guylain Nyembo, and Minister of Portfolio Julie Shiku, according to a statement from the DRC Ministry of Mines posted on X.
Minister Kabamba described the refinery as a major milestone for the country’s mining industry, noting that it equips the DRC with the capacity to refine its own strategic minerals while providing fair pricing, transparent trading systems, and greater benefits for thousands of artisanal and small-scale miners. He added that the refinery positions the DRC to export gold at 99.9% purity.
Africa’s drive for local value capture
The Kalemie facility is a joint initiative between the state-backed DRC Gold Trading and Lunga Mining, designed to formalize gold trading and curb widespread smuggling that has historically deprived the government of revenue.
This development reflects a wider African trend in which governments seek to retain more value from mineral resources by building domestic refining and processing capacity. For decades, much of the continent’s gold was exported in raw form, with foreign refineries capturing the majority of profits.
Countries such as Ghana and Tanzania have recently expanded their gold refining infrastructure, while Mali and Burkina Faso are exploring similar projects to increase state control over production and revenues.
During the inauguration, Minister Kabamba praised President Félix Tshisekedi for his leadership and vision in turning the DRC’s mineral wealth into a driver of national development. Officials say the Kalemie refinery is a crucial step toward boosting transparency in the gold trade while ensuring the country captures more economic value from one of its most important natural resources.