A gold processing plant is being built in Mali. Investors are companies from Russia and Switzerland
Mali, with the support of Russia and a Swiss investment company, has begun construction of a new gold processing plant, Reuters reports.
The plant will have a capacity of 200 tons. Construction is being carried out in cooperation with the Russian Yadran Group and a Swiss investment company. The controlling stake will belong to the state of Mali.
The new plant will allow the country to independently process gold before export, which should strengthen control over its own natural resources.
Last year, the country's interim president, Assimi Goyta, noted that the plant would help keep more profits in the country, rather than sending gold for processing abroad, as has been done since the 1980s – to Switzerland, the UAE, and South Africa.
"Since 1980, Malian gold has been exported for refining and sale to countries such as the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Switzerland. This deprives our country of significant revenues that could be used to develop the economy," Goyta stressed.
The move is part of broader mining reforms also underway in neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger, which also want gold refined domestically to increase the value of exports.
Once launched, the enterprise will be able to refine all the gold mined in Mali and even process gold from other countries in the region.
- On August 5, 2024, the transitional government of Mali decided to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine due to alleged support for the actions of the Tuareg. The Foreign Ministry called this decision hasty and short-sighted.
- In April 2025, Mali declared that it considered Ukraine a terrorist state due to its alleged support for local rebels.
