Lands Minister urges Zijin Mining to make Ghana its springboard for African expansion

President of Zijin Mining Group, Lin Hongfu, has praised Ghana’s business environment and government support, saying the company’s expansion into the country has been a success. Mr Lin, whose company operates in 17 countries outside China, said the cooperation it received from the Ghanaian government contributed significantly to its acquisition and subsequent operation of the former Newmont Golden Ridge Gold Mine at Akyem. He made the remarks during an interaction with Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah on Monday, September 7, 2026, as part of the Minister’s working visit to China.

Mr Lin said he had attached great importance to the relationship between Zijin Mining, the Ghanaian government and the people of Ghana. “I have attached so much seriousness to my relationship with the people and government of Ghana,” he said. Zijin credits government support for Ghana’s success According to Mr Lin, Zijin Mining has operated in Ghana for more than a year without significant obstruction and has achieved what he described as significant results.

He said the company had redesigned the structure of its mining operations following the acquisition, incorporating new technologies and management practices to improve performance. Mr Lin attributed the progress partly to the cooperation of the Ghanaian government, particularly the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. He singled out Mr Armah-Kofi Buah for his role in facilitating the acquisition and commencement of the company’s operations in Ghana.

“Especially your role as the sector Minister,” Mr Lin told Mr Armah-Kofi Buah. He said he was therefore honoured to host the Minister at the Zijin mining site in China, describing it as the place where the company’s development began. “More than 30 years ago, this place was just a virgin mining site.

We injected capital and technology to actualise the dream of turning it into this mine,” he said. Technology and skills drive Zijin’s growth Mr Lin said Zijin’s development over the past three decades had been driven by investment in technology, finance and human capital. He said the company had established an in-house research institute and developed global supply and financial networks across its operations.

“We have an in-house research institute, global supply chain, global finance base, all across 17 countries outside China,” he said. Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has urged Zijin Mining Group to make Ghana a strategic base for expanding its operations and investments across Africa. He said Ghana was well positioned to serve as a focal point for the global mining giant’s African operations and called for a long-term partnership that would create mutual benefits for both the company and the country.