The government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Petrochemical Holding GmbH (PCH) to build a $700 million chemical manufacturing complex and roll out a nationwide programme to recover gold from mining waste and clean up degraded sites.

The agreement, signed with the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Authority (24H+), covers two separate but linked projects, namely an integrated plant to produce sodium cyanide and chlor-alkali caustic soda, and a gold tailings recovery and environmental remediation platform targeting some of the country’s most polluted mining landscapes.

Under the remediation component, PCH will provide the technical expertise to identify suitable tailings sites, test the material for recoverable gold, extract economic value where feasible, and support the rehabilitation of the affected land and water bodies.

The stated goal is a model that recovers value from mining waste while restoring environmental security, particularly around water systems degraded by illegal and informal mining activity, a persistent challenge in Ghana’s small-scale mining sector.

The vehicle for both projects will be GreenRock Petrochemical Ghana Limited, a joint venture between Gulf-based GreenRock and Petrochemical Holding GmbH, a chemical industry group with more than three decades of experience in large-scale project delivery.

The chemical complex is designed to end Ghana’s reliance on imported sodium cyanide and caustic soda, both critical inputs for the mining sector, by using salt as feedstock for domestic production.

Officials say the plant, if realised, could also supply the wider West African market.

Remarks

The Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Authority, Goosie Tanoh, said the partnership would support President John Dramani Mahama’s industrial transformation agenda and Ghana’s ambition to build “an economy that works for everyone, every hour”.

“We welcome local and international private sector businesses, investors and development partners who align with President Mahama’s 24-Hour Economy Transformation Agenda, to work with us to help achieve this imperative national goal,” he said.

The Chief Executive of PCH, Iakov Goldovskiy, said the projects could draw significant foreign direct investment while strengthening Ghana’s position as a regional hub for mining chemicals and responsible resource recovery.

“Large-scale industrial projects of this kind have the potential to mobilise significant direct foreign investment into Ghana and create long-term national value through jobs, industrial capacity, environmental recovery and sustainable export-led growth.

“Through this partnership, we believe Ghana can strengthen its position as a regional hub for mining chemicals, responsible resource recovery and value-added industrial production,” he said.

Both projects will still require feasibility studies, environmental and regulatory approvals, and definitive agreements before any final investment decision is taken.