Guinea has introduced a new procedure for exporting gold and associated metals, which can now leave the country only after being refined at an approved refinery on its territory. The decree, proposed by the Minister of Mines and Geology, was made public on national television on 2 October 2026, Guinéenews reported.
Refining in Guinea becomes the entry condition
The decree gives the Office guinéen d’expertise de l’or, des diamants et autres matières précieuses (OGE) a central role. Any authorised company wishing to export refined gold must submit a written application to the OGE, covering receipt of the shipment, its valuation and certification of its origin.
The application is admissible only if the gold has already been refined at an approved refinery established in Guinea. This turns local refining from a policy objective into a legal precondition for export.
Exporters must provide a substantial file, including:
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the weight of the shipment and the refining certificate;
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assay reports before and after treatment;
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export details: planned date and time, airline, flight number and final destination;
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tax registration certificate and up-to-date tax clearance;
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documents establishing the lawful origin of the gold and the regularity of the refining circuit.
A chain of custody from refinery to aircraft
Once a complete file is received, the OGE must notify the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea (BCRG) and the Directorate General of Customs in writing.
The gold is then weighed, packed and sealed at the refinery itself. This takes place in the presence of the depositor or owner and representatives of customs, the anti-fraud brigade for precious materials, the BCRG and other relevant services.
After sealing, shipments are either escorted to the airport or held in the refinery’s vaults pending export, for no more than 15 calendar days. Customs, the anti-fraud brigade and the central bank handle the escort, together with the OGE and a security company.
Taxes are settled before the gold leaves
The decree also tightens tax collection. The tax on industrial and semi-industrial gold production is calculated after assaying, based on the weight and fineness of the refined metal, using the London afternoon fix as the price reference.
All duties, taxes and fees must be paid before export. If a control reveals a difference, the company has 72 hours from notification to settle it.
Setting the tax base on refined weight and fineness, assayed in Guinea, gives the state its own measure of what is exported. Until now, that measurement largely depended on refineries abroad.
New reporting duties for refineries
Approved refineries now carry reporting obligations of their own. They must send their refining reports to the OGE, the BCRG, customs and the National Geology Laboratory.
These reports must state the company’s identity, the origin of the gold, quantities received and processed, the fineness obtained, any technical losses, the treatment date and the lot reference. The aim is for every agency involved to work from the same information on each export lot.
A joint order from the ministers of mines and finance and the BCRG governor will set and allocate the fees for control, certification, storage, marketing and export services. That order has not yet been published.
The capacity question
The decree defines the procedure. Whether it can work at industrial scale depends on refining capacity that is still being built.
The obligation was first announced in June, following the reform launched earlier in the year by His Excellency Mamadi Doumbouya, President of Guinea. According to PDI Gold, operator of the Kiniero mine, the transition period for compliance was due to expire on 6 October. Exports were temporarily suspended while the framework was finalised and resumed in July.
The authorities expect the Nimba Gold Refinery to be commissioned by the end of the year. The decree requires refining at an approved refinery in Guinea, but the reports do not say which facilities are currently approved or what volumes they can handle.
Industrial producers have already adjusted. PDI Gold sold 61,149 ounces from Kiniero in the third quarter, up from 38,470, while production fell 16% to 45,599 ounces. The company converted a large share of the gold it held at the end of June into cash ahead of the deadline.
What is at stake for miners and the state
For the state, the decree promises more value retained in Guinea, closer control of gold flows and taxes collected on a verified base before export.
For miners, the questions are practical. Agence Ecofin notes that refining fees, processing times and the guarantees offered to producers are still undefined. Producers selling on international markets also need refined gold that meets their buyers’ quality and certification requirements. If local refining cannot meet those standards on time, the new rules could delay exports rather than secure them.
What to watch
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Publication of the joint order setting fees for control, certification, storage and export.
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The list of approved refineries and their certified capacity.
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Commissioning of the Nimba Gold Refinery and whether its output is accepted by international buyers.
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Fourth-quarter export and sales data from industrial miners after the 6 October deadline.
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Monthly gold export volumes and production tax receipts reported by the authorities.
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How the procedure applies to artisanal and semi-industrial gold, which flows through different channels.