NewzMinister 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. He said 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. Zijin combines mining with environmental restoration The Minister said 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 said such practices showed that mined-out land could be restored and put to productive use rather than being left degraded after mineral extraction. Minister wants model replicated in Ghana The Minister said Ghanaian mining companies should take particular interest in the Zijin model and incorporate environmental protection into every stage of their operations. He said 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… Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has called for the adoption of advanced green technologies in Ghana’s mining sector to reduce fossil fuel emissions and improve environmental management. The Minister made the call during a working visit to Longking, a Chinese technology company specialising in environmental protection and new-energy solutions, in Longyan City in Fujian Province.
During the visit, Mr Armah-Kofi Buah toured the company’s facilities, where he inspected electric trucks and environmental protection installations as part of Ghana’s efforts to explore cleaner technologies for the mining industry. He expressed interest in the company’s technological capabilities and invited Longking to establish a presence in Ghana to support the country’s transition towards greener mining practices. Minister seeks Longking presence in Ghana Longking, a subsidiary of Jinzin Mining Group, has 55 years of experience in environmental management and provides environmental solutions for industries including power generation, iron and steel, cement and other sectors.
Summary from source