Wagagai Mining (U) Limited is a large-scale gold mining and refining company based in Alupe, Busia District, Eastern Uganda. Established in 2019, it is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liaoning Hongda Enterprise Group, a Chinese conglomerate operating across various sectors including mining, real estate, finance, and agriculture .

Key Project Details

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  Location: Alupe Village, Buteba Sub-county, Busia District, Uganda.

  
  


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  Investment: The project is being developed in three phases. The first phase, completed in 2022, involved an investment of approximately $500 million. The second phase, expected to be completed by mid-2024, involves an additional $500 million investment. The third phase, planned for 2025 to 2027, will see a further investment of $300 million .

  
  


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  Production Capacity: The facility is designed to process up to 5,000 tonnes of gold ore per day, with an expected annual output of 1 to 1.5 tonnes of refined gold at 99.99% purity .

  
  


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  Reserves: The mine boasts proven gold ore reserves of approximately 15 million tonnes, which are expected to exceed 30 million tonnes over a 30-year lifespan .

  
  

Economic and Social Impact

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  Employment: The project is expected to create over 3,000 jobs for local communities .

  
  


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  Economic Contribution: Local government officials estimate the project will contribute around UGX 60 billion annually in tax revenues, with Busia District alone receiving UGX 6 billion in royalties and service tax .

  
  


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  Export Growth: Uganda's gold exports surged more than tenfold in 2023, reaching $2.3 billion, a growth attributed in part to new processors like Wagagai Mining .

  
  

Infrastructure and Operations

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  Design and Construction: The project was planned and designed by the Shandong Gold Design Institute of China, incorporating advanced mining equipment and professional management .

  
  


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  Facilities: The site includes a network of underground tunnels, an 800-meter shaft for transporting mined ore, a modern laboratory, storage facilities, and a gold refinery .

  
  


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  Power Supply: In April 2025, company officials highlighted that frequent power outages posed a risk to commissioning the plant and urged government intervention to stabilize electricity supply .

  
  

Contact and Online Presence

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  Website: wagagaimininguga.com

  
  


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  X (formerly Twitter): @Wagagai_Mining