Energy Ministry Grants Mining Licence to Euro Gold Refinery in Abim

The ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, has granted a mining license to Euro Gold Refinery (EGR).

The event held in Abim District was presided over by Dr Ruth Nankabirwa, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, who officially handed over a mining license to kakoka artisan miners association on behalf of EGR.

The event also attended by Feni Bernard  from EGR, symbolized a major step towards formalizing artisanal and small-scale gold mining in the region.

Euro Gold Refinery (U) SMC Ltd, is Uganda’s first 100% locally owned gold refinery. The refinery was launched in July 2025. It refines gold to 99.9% purity using modern technology and sources its raw materials from artisanal miners in regions such as Abim and Karamoja.

This partnership between the government, EGR, and local miners aims to Promote responsible and traceable gold mining by bringing artisanal miners into the formal sector.

Enhance community livelihoods through fair pricing, safer working conditions, and sustainable mining practices. Support Uganda’s value-addition policy, ensuring more mineral wealth benefits Ugandans directly.

The Abim license handover also follows government efforts to regulate the mining sector after illegal gold rushes caused environmental degradation and loss of revenue. The collaboration with EGR is expected to improve transparency, reduce illicit trade, and strengthen local participation in mineral development.

Eurogold supports artisan miners in Uganda by organizing them in form of of associations and registering them with the ministry and funding all registration activities and geological surveys to meet the acquired standards.

The company also acquirers for them the mining licenses, refines the mined gold to 99.9% which raised the gold to LBMA international market standards