DRC Opens First Ever Gold Refinery in Kalemie

The Democratic Republic of Congo has opened its first pilot gold refinery in Kalemie, Tanganyika Province. The facility will allow the country to refine gold domestically for the first time. Authorities say the project will also strengthen oversight of the gold sector.

The refinery, known as DRC Gold Refinery, aims to bring more of the gold trade into formal channels. Officials say it will improve transparency in a market long affected by informal trading and smuggling.

The facility is expected to process between 500 and 600 kilograms of gold per month. It will handle the chain from purchasing raw gold to refining and producing bullion bars. The Ministry of Mines said officials inaugurated the refinery on March 11. Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba, Planning Minister Guylain Nyembo, and Portfolio Minister Julie Shiku attended the ceremony.

Kabamba said the refinery provides infrastructure to refine Congolese gold locally. He also highlighted clearer pricing mechanisms and more transparent trading channels. Authorities expect the project to improve market access for artisanal and small-scale miners, who produce much of the country’s gold. The refinery will produce bullion with 99.9% purity, allowing the state to export refined gold directly.

Growing focus on domestic gold refining across Africa

The facility operates through a partnership between state-backed DRC Gold Trading and Lunga Mining. Officials say the arrangement will help formalize gold trading and limit smuggling.

Across Africa, governments are expanding domestic mineral processing capacity. For decades, much of the continent’s gold has been exported in raw form. Foreign refineries have captured most of the value.

Ghana and Tanzania have expanded refining capacity in recent years. Mali and Burkina Faso have also explored similar initiatives to strengthen oversight of gold production and trade.

During the launch, Kabamba credited President Félix Tshisekedi for supporting policies aimed at strengthening the mining sector. Officials say the Kalemie refinery could improve traceability in the gold trade. It may also help the country retain more revenue from one of its key minerals.

Analysts say the refinery’s success will depend on several factors. Authorities will need stronger traceability systems to track gold entering the refinery. Expanding formal trading centres for artisanal miners could reduce reliance on informal buyers.

Investment in assaying, certification and export logistics will also be necessary. These systems would help the refinery compete with established hubs in the Middle East and Europe. Over time, integrating the refinery into a broader mineral value-add strategy could help the DRC retain more value from its gold sector..