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.

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 two years, could play a leading role in introducing some of the environmental practices it has developed in China.

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah said collaboration with the company could help demonstrate how mining, environmental restoration and productive post-mining land use could be pursued together.

He called on other mining companies operating in Ghana to learn from the model and adopt practices that would protect the country’s natural resources while supporting sustainable development.

Five-pronged approach to mining

The Zijin model integrates geological exploration, mining, mineral processing or beneficiation, metallurgy and environmental protection.

The approach is designed to maximise mineral recovery while incorporating environmental restoration into the mining value chain.

At the Zijinshan site, the company has developed reclaimed areas into spaces that support biodiversity and tourism, including botanical gardens and other ecological facilities.

The company also protects selected endemic and valuable plant species through the establishment of botanical gardens and other reserved areas.

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah said the approach demonstrated the possibility of turning former mining areas into productive environmental and tourism assets.

Roads and water protection

The Minister also took note of the road infrastructure around the mining operation, including roads leading to the mine and within the open-pit area.

He observed that the roads had been paved and that water used in the mining operation was subject to management and conservation measures.

He said Ghana could draw lessons from these practices as it seeks to improve environmental standards in its mining communities.

Zijin highlights growth and technological development

President of Zijin Mining Group, Lin Hongfu, who spoke through an interpreter during the Minister’s visit, outlined the company’s development and expansion over the past three decades.

He attributed the company’s growth to the acquisition of technical and geological expertise, investment in advanced technology, financial commitment across the mining value chain and efforts to remain competitive in the global mining industry.

Mr Lin said these factors had contributed to the transformation and expansion of Zijin’s operations internationally.

The Minister’s visit forms part of Ghana’s efforts to learn from international mining practices and explore technologies and approaches that could support more sustainable mineral extraction and environmental management in the country.