Zambia Announces Gold Refinery as Push for Mineral Value Addition Expands

The planned facility comes as the government’s Grow Zambia Agenda places greater emphasis on domestic processing, industrial development and capturing more economic value from the country’s mineral resources.

Zambia’s planned gold refinery brings a new dimension to the country’s efforts to expand mineral processing and retain more value from its natural resources. The project comes as the government pursues a broader economic agenda centred on production, industrialisation and private-sector investment.

Minera Refineries Zambia Limited announced the refinery during the Zambia Mining and Investment Insaka in Lusaka in October 2026. According to the company, the facility is designed to refine gold to 99% purity, with technology capable of reaching 99.99%.

The project aligns with the direction of President Hakainde Hichilema’s Grow Zambia Agenda, which seeks to more than double the economy over five years and identifies mining as one of the sectors expected to contribute to growth. Beyond increasing production, the agenda places importance on developing industries that can generate additional economic activity within Zambia.

For the gold sector, domestic refining could support more processing, technical services and commercial activity around locally produced minerals. The extent of that contribution will depend on the facility’s eventual operating capacity, supply arrangements and access to buyers.

From extraction to processing

The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has identified domestic mineral processing as an important component of the Grow Zambia Agenda. In a statement published on 17 September 2026, IDC Chief Investments Officer Mainga Mukando highlighted the need to process more minerals locally and expand the economic benefits generated from Zambia’s natural resources.

For gold, refining can support activities such as assaying, quality verification and bullion production. Depending on the scale of operations, it can also create demand for specialised logistics, laboratory services, equipment maintenance and skilled workers.

These opportunities are relevant to Zambia’s wider industrialisation ambitions. However, a refinery’s economic contribution cannot be established by its technical specifications alone. Processing volumes, operating costs, local procurement and sales into formal markets will determine how much value the project generates within the country.

Formalising the gold trade

The refinery announcement comes as the government works to strengthen oversight of gold production and trading.

On 16 September 2026, Lusaka Times reported that Permanent Secretary Hapenga Kabeta of the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development had confirmed that the proposed Zambia Gold Trade Agency was undergoing legal consideration. The planned entity is intended to centralise the purchase of gold destined for export.

The government has also pursued training and formalisation measures for artisanal and small-scale miners, including initiatives reported in Solwezi, Mufumbwe, Mpika and Kabwe.

These efforts could influence the refinery’s future commercial prospects. A sustainable operation requires reliable supplies, while miners need transparent pricing, dependable payments and access to legitimate buyers.

According to the Zambia Chamber of Mines’ coverage of the Mining and Investment Insaka, Minera managing director Andrew Mukupa Katandula outlined a proposed two-year programme to formalise artisanal mining, provide targeted pre-financing and improve transparency in gold production and trade.

The proposed government agency and the private refinery have different functions. Their relationship will depend on the final regulatory arrangements and how gold purchasing, processing and exports are organised.

What it means for Zambia’s growth agenda

The refinery’s significance lies in its potential to connect mineral production with a wider domestic value chain. This could create opportunities for technical employment, local suppliers and businesses providing services to the mining industry.

For investors, the project also raises questions about the commercial conditions required to establish a sustainable gold-processing operation. Reliable feedstock, competitive operating costs, traceable sourcing and access to recognised international buyers will all be important.

The company’s stated purity specifications are a starting point, not proof of independent certification or acceptance by every international market. Further information on capacity, investment costs, supply agreements and operating arrangements would help establish the project’s commercial position.

Zambia’s push for mineral value addition is ultimately about generating more economic activity around the resources it produces. The planned refinery represents a potential step in that direction, with its longer-term contribution to be measured through actual production, domestic business participation and the value generated within the country.