Ghana is set to establish its first manganese refinery, with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources announcing a sod-cutting ceremony to mark the start of construction in November at Tarkwa in the Western Region.
The $450 million project aims to add value to the manganese produced in Ghana, a resource that has been exported in its raw form for the past century without any value addition.
According to the Ministry, the refinery is expected to increase the country’s manganese revenue from the current 27 percent to nearly 40 percent. Additionally, it is projected to create approximately 400,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister Samuel Abdullai Jinapor, during a working visit to the Ghana Manganese Company, said he is hopeful that the coming in of the refinery means a lot for the mining sector.
Managing Director of the Ghana Manganese Company Limited, Jurgen Eijgendaal believes the establishment of a refinery will boost operation and also save cost.
“We are very happy with our ministerial visit today because this is a step in the right direction of starting our refinery project. The value addition is key for our operations, our long-term operations. We are growing our reserves.”
