Praveen Baijnath, Chief Executive Officer of Rand Refinery, has been confirmed as a speaker at the upcoming Mining in Motion 2025 Summit, set to take place from 2–4 June in Accra, Ghana.
Baijnath will participate in a panel discussion titled Medium to Long-Term Funding Models for Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining, which will delve into innovative financing strategies designed to enhance access to capital for small-scale miners across Africa.
As the head of Rand Refinery – the world’s largest integrated single-site precious metals refining and smelting facility – Baijnath is expected to provide valuable insights into how the downstream sector can support artisanal mining, drive sector-wide growth, and deliver value-added products tailored to African markets.
In 2024, Ghana’s small-scale gold mining sector generated an estimated $5 billion in export revenue. South Africa remains Ghana’s largest intra-African gold trade partner, accounting for 60.5% of the country’s gold exports to the continent. This underscores the strong trade and industry ties between the two nations.
Rand Refinery’s major shareholders are also deeply involved in Ghana’s upstream gold production. AngloGold Ashanti, which owns 42.5% of the refinery, operates major Ghanaian sites including the Obuasi and Iduapriem mines. Gold Fields, with a 33.15% stake, runs the Tarkwa and Damang mines. Baijnath’s participation is seen as an opportunity to deepen cross-border collaboration for sustainable and inclusive development in Africa’s gold mining sector.
Mining in Motion 2025 is organised by the Ashanti Green Initiative in partnership with the World Bank, the World Gold Council, and other international organisations. Held under the theme Sustainable Mining & Local Growth – Leveraging Resources for Global Impact, the summit will attract senior-level decision-makers including Ghana’s President, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, along with delegates from the African Union, ECOWAS, the United Nations, and the private sector.
