Mining firms must embrace electric trucks to cut costs – Lands Minister

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has urged mining companies in Ghana to adopt electric vehicle (EV) technology to reduce operating costs and minimise the environmental impact of mining activities.

According to the Minister, the adoption of electric haulage trucks will help mining companies reduce their reliance on fuel while improving environmental sustainability.

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He made the call during a tour of the Longking EV manufacturing plant in Longyan, China, on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, ahead of the 2026 China Mining Conference.

During the tour, Buah inspected 25 high-capacity electric dump trucks being manufactured for Zijin Golden Ridge Mine at Akyem in Ghana.

He said modernising the mining sector with cleaner technologies was critical to reducing costs and protecting the environment.

“We are overwhelmed to see the life-changing products you are working on here which are critical to environmental protection and new energy for the mining sector,” he said.

The Minister encouraged other commercial mining companies to adopt similar technologies, while commending Zijin Golden Ridge Mine for acquiring the 230-tonne-capacity electric trucks.

“I’m excited that 25 of these trucks will make their way to Ghana very soon and Zijin will lead the way,” Buah added.

As part of efforts to position Ghana as a green industrial hub in sub-Saharan Africa, the Minister also invited Longking to expand its operations to West Africa and help build local technical capacity in EV technology.

“I was dreaming of a future where Longking will be established in Ghana and you will be serving the African continent... Let’s also use this opportunity to build African capacity in EV technology,” he said.

The President of Longking, Huang Wei, confirmed plans to establish a presence in Ghana from next year, citing the country’s growing demand for green technology.

“Next year, we are going to set up a maintenance centre to provide support for the trucks and based on our growth in Ghana and Africa, we will strive to build a production facility in Ghana,” Huang said.

ANAS/MA

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