Today, June 17, 2025, Mali has begun the construction of a new state-controlled gold refinery. The facility, built in partnership with Russia’s company Yadran Group, is expected to process up to 200 metric tons of gold annually, significantly increasing Mali’s refining capacity. The refinery is part of the broader mining reforms taken by the government of Assimi Goïta to keep more gold processing within the country rather than exporting raw materials. This should, in principle, help develop the local manpower. The state will hold a 62% stake, with Yadran Group owning the remaining 38%. This refinery is intended to serve as a regional hub, processing gold not only for Mali, but in the long term for neighboring countries like Burkina Faso as well. This project reflects the wider trend in the Sahel, and particularly in the AES, where countries are revising mining laws so as to keep more value-added processing at home.

It is about time that Mali, and other African countries learn to process their materials at home, instead of exporting the raw materials to later on import the same things, or letting the others reap fruits from our raw materials. Just imagine for a second if the Democratic Republic of Congo had the power to develop its cobalt, tantalum, tin, uranium, etc., at home, wouldn’t it impact its populations for better? Or just imagine if Ivory Coast, the number one world producer of cocoa was processing its cocoa at home, instead of exporting the raw beans to Europe for Europeans to process, how would this fundamentally change the Ivorian economy?

Of course, when you read the MSM magazines, they will title Junta-led Mali begins construction of gold refinery in partnership with Russia; instead of the Malian government begins the construction of a gold refinery! They are upset that Mali, and all the other countries of the AES, Burkina Faso and Niger, are taking steps to nationalize, to improve, and to build factories to refine their God-given resources in their own lands, thus taking a step towards lifting their nations out of poverty! This, of course, would not help the West which would rather have a weak African government or puppet governments.

Moreover, yesterday 06/16, the Malian courts ordered that the Loulo-Gounkoto gold mine be placed under provisional administration for six months. The deposit has been the subject of a tug-of-war between the Malian government and the Canadian mining group Barrick Gold for the past two years, over tax dispute (Mali wins $160m in Gold Mining Dispute). The Malian authorities hope to resume production operations halted in January at this strategic gold site, while gold prices are at their highest.