Efforts are underway to establish Africa‘s first lithium refinery in Takoradi, located in Ghana’s Western Region. The $500-million refinery project is a collaboration between CAA Mining Ltd., Luxembourg-based Livista Energy, and its Ghanaian subsidiary, Livista Ghana Ltd.
The initiative is part of a broader plan to invest in Ghana’s emerging lithium value chain, aligning with the government’s recently approved Green Minerals Policy, which emphasizes value addition to lithium within the country.
Douglas D. Chikohora, CEO of CAA Mining Limited, revealed that pending no significant setbacks, the refinery is expected to be completed and operational by 2026. The project will be situated on a 200-acre parcel of land within the Takoradi Port City.
Preliminary discussions have already taken place with the Ghana Gas Company Limited to extend power and construct a service pipeline from the existing grid to the refinery.
Chikohora noted that when completed, the refinery will be the third of its kind globally and the first in Africa.
However, he emphasized that the commencement of work on the refinery depends on the issuance of a prospecting license to Lithium Resources Ghana Ltd (LRGL), a joint venture between CAA Mining Ltd and local entity Empire Rare Earth and Metal Group Limited.
LRGL has already invested $2 million in lithium exploration on a 646-square-kilometer concession along the lithium corridor in the Central Region and plans to initiate a $10 million lithium drilling program by year-end, contingent on the issuance of a prospecting license by the Minerals Commission.
Chikohora emphasized the consortium’s commitment to investing in the lithium value chain, highlighting the strategic location of the refinery in Ghana, which will not only serve Ghana’s lithium but also that of other African nations such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Mali, Namibia, and South Africa.
The CEO also pointed out the potential industrial growth in Ghana once the refinery is operational, with the emergence of battery manufacturers, vehicle assembly plants, and numerous job opportunities.
Regarding local content, Chikohora stated that LRGL is a joint venture involving both foreign and local firms, aligning with a business model that promotes local participation throughout the value chain.
Discussions have also been initiated with the Mining Income Investment Fund (MIIF) to include them as shareholders in the lithium value chain investment to enhance local content requirements.
The consortium plans to launch its social responsibility program in the near future, outlining support areas for host communities and engaging with them to prioritize CSR activities.
