- This refers to gold produced by industrial mining companies
- 142 business relationships between refineries and 125 gold mines in Africa between 2025 and 2023
- These refineries are located in South Africa, Canada, Switzerland, Dubai, China, etc.
- Metalor, Switzerland, receives most gold in Burkina Faso
- MKS PAMP refused to relieve its customers
- Information published by SWISSAID on 30 March 2023 in a report
Mining companies in Africa in general and in Burkina Faso in particular sell their gold to refineries outside their respective countries. While some refineries are willing to disclose their partnership with these mining companies, others prefer to keep it secret.
The new SWISSAID Foundation report (Out of the Shadows at Last: Business Relationships between Industrial Gold Mines in Africa and Refineries) published on 30 March 2023 indicates that between 2015 and 2023, some 20 refineries located in South Africa, Canada, Switzerland, Dubai, China, etc. have or had 142 business relationships with 125 industrial gold mines in Africa.
In the case of Burkina Faso, the report mentions several refineries that have business relationships with mining companies in Burkina. These include Metalor, MKS PAMP/MMTC PAMP and Argor-Heraeus.
Swiss-based Metalor receives most gold in Burkina Faso
The Metalor Group has business relationships with at least 09 mining companies based in Burkina Faso. These include Iamgold Essakane, Nordgold, Endeavour Mining through the Wahgnion, Mana, Houndé and Boungou mines. Metalor also buys gold from the mining company Orezone Bomboré, Néré Mining and Yaramoko.
Founded in 1852, Metalor has 17 subsidiaries, including one in Switzerland that receives gold from Burkina Faso.
MKS PAMP Group has not confirmed its collaboration with Burkina Faso
Apart from Metalor, MKS PAMP Company also has trade relations with some mines in Burkina Faso.
MKS PAMP SA was founded in 1979 and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The group is active in the field of precious metals and provides trading, refining, storage and mine financing services.
The report states that this company is collaborating with the Sanbrado mine which is operated by West African Resources (at least until 2023). In addition to this company, until 2022 the refinery had business relationships with companies such as Nordgold and Avesoro Holdings.
The report states that MKS PAMP refused to confirm its business relationships with industrial mines in Africa. It did, however, indicate that it had dealt with mines in Burkina Faso including Taparko-Bouroum and Bissa-Bouly.
Conserning Argor-Heraeus, it has a business relationship with the Wahgnion mine operated by Endeavour Mining.
Rachid Ouedraogo
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