Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has urged mining companies operating in Ghana to adopt more environmentally responsible practices, citing the Ziji
The report indicates that minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has urged mining companies operating in Ghana to adopt more environmentally responsible practices, citing the Zijin Mining Group’s approach to mine reclamation and environmental conservation in China as a model.
It further notes that he stated mining companies must make the construction and maintenance of road networks, protection of water bodies, environmental conservation and reclamation of mined-out land integral parts of their operations.
According to Mr Armah-Kofi Buah, the practices he observed at Zijin demonstrate that mineral extraction can be combined with environmental restoration, biodiversity conservation and tourism.
He made the call on Monday, September 7, 2026, after touring the Zijinshan Open-pit Gold and Copper Mine, operated by Zijin Mining Group in Longyan, Fujian Province, China.
The Minister stated the approach adopted by Zijin offered important lessons for Ghana, which has a mining history spanning more than a century but continues to grapple with the environmental consequences of mining.
At the Zijinshan mine, mining operations have been integrated with an ecological and tourism facility developed on reclaimed mining land.
The site includes a botanical garden, tea garden, fruit garden and ecological farm, alongside other facilities designed to support environmental education and tourism.
The botanical garden, located on Zijin Mountain, was developed on land previously used for mining and has been transformed into a restored green space.
The company has also used vegetation selection and water-management measures to support the recovery of local flora and improve the ecological value of reclaimed areas.
Mr Armah-Kofi Buah stated such practices showed that mined-out land could be restored and put to productive use rather than being left degraded after mineral extraction.
The Minister stated Ghanaian mining companies should take particular interest in the Zijin model and incorporate environmental protection into every stage of their operations.
He stated mining firms must pay greater attention to the condition of roads leading to mining communities, the protection of water bodies and the reclamation of land affected by mining.
He also suggested that Zijin Mining Group, which has been operating in Ghana for about two years, could play a leading role in introducing some of the environmental practices it has developed in China.
Mr Armah-Kofi Buah stated collaboration with the company could help demonstrate how mining, environmental restoration and productive post-mining land use could be pursued together.
