• Production goal represents a 60% increase from 2024 levels

• GMC and China’s TMI investing $450 million in first national manganese refinery

• Project aims to boost value addition and create over 1,000 direct jobs

Ghana, currently the third-largest producer of manganese in Africa after Gabon and South Africa, intends to significantly increase its production in 2025. According to the Ghana Chamber of Mines, the ongoing production of 5 million tons is set to rise significantly in 2025 to 8 million tons, marking an impressive 60% increase.

Few details have been released on the factors driving this anticipated growth, but it is not the first time such an ambition has been stated. In 2024, Joseph Ampong, an official from the sole national producer, the Ghana Manganese Company (GMC), indicated that the company planned to increase its production to 8 million tons. The objective was to secure 5 million tons for the first manganese refinery in the country.

The multi-million-dollar refinery, resulting from a collaboration between GMC and China's Tianyuan Manganese Industry (TMI), aims to enhance the value of Ghana’s manganese. This infrastructure project, budgeted at $450 million, is expected to bolster revenues from the mineral's exploitation and create over 1,000 direct jobs. The first phase of the project was slated to begin in November 2024.

However, no updates have been provided on the construction progress of the refinery, and GMC has not yet announced its production plans for 2025. According to its website, the company currently operates three manganese mines in the Nsuta area.