ABIDJAN, Sept 18 – Ivory Coast plans to begin operations at a gold refinery in the first half of 2027 as the West African country seeks to expand domestic mineral processing and become Africa’s largest gold producer by 2035.
The Société Ivoirienne des Métaux Précieux (Simep) refinery will have the capacity to process up to 100 metric tons of gold annually, according to Mines, Petroleum and Energy Minister Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, who announced the timeline in Abidjan.
“The refining unit will begin operations by the end of the first half of 2027,” Sangafowa-Coulibaly said.
At full capacity, the facility would be capable of processing roughly 100 tons of gold a year, broadly matching Ivory Coast’s projected industrial mine production as the country expands output from existing and new operations.
Gold processed through the refinery will be marketed with the assistance of US financial services company StoneX Group, according to Bloomberg.
Ivory Coast currently produces about 60 tons of gold annually and ranked eighth among African gold producers in 2025, based on World Gold Council data. Ghana led the continent with 192.4 tons, while Zimbabwe, Guinea, Sudan, Mali and Burkina Faso also produced more than Ivory Coast.
The government is targeting national gold production of 100 tons by 2030, with higher output expected from expansions at existing mines and the development of new projects.
Perseus Mining is expanding its Yaouré gold mine, while Canada-based Montage Gold plans to commission its Koné mine by the end of 2026. These projects are expected to contribute to the country’s production growth as Ivory Coast develops its mining sector.
The refinery forms part of a broader effort by African mineral-producing countries to capture more value from natural resources within their domestic economies. Rather than exporting raw or minimally processed minerals, governments across the continent are increasingly pursuing refining and processing capacity to support industrial development and increase the economic value retained locally.
Kenya has announced plans to prohibit exports of unprocessed minerals, including gold, while Ghana and Zimbabwe have introduced measures aimed at encouraging greater domestic mineral processing.
For Ivory Coast, the combination of expanding mine production and new refining capacity represents an effort to build a more integrated gold industry. The government is targeting further increases in output through 2030 and has set a longer-term ambition of becoming Africa’s leading gold producer by 2035.
