Egypt’s Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem held talks with a delegation from DrasChem Specialized Chemicals, led by CEO Mohamed Abdel Aziz, to discuss plans to establish and operate the first sodium cyanide and derivatives production plant in Egypt and the Middle East.
The proposed project is expected to support Egypt’s industrial development strategy and deepen local manufacturing capabilities in advanced chemical industries.
During the meeting, the delegation presented details of the project’s first phase, which will be developed on an 80,000-square-metre plot within the Sidi Kerir Petrochemicals Company complex. The total plant area is expected to reach 157,000 square metres.
The project aims to localise advanced industrial technologies, with the company’s capital estimated at $10m, while total investments are projected to reach around $200m.
Once operational, the facility is expected to produce between 50,000 and 55,000 tonnes annually and create approximately 500 direct jobs, in addition to indirect employment opportunities across supply chains and related services.
Hashem described the sodium cyanide plant as a pioneering step for Egypt in advanced manufacturing across the Middle East and Africa, reflecting the state’s strategy to localise technology, strengthen domestic industry and open new opportunities for specialised exports.
He added that the project could serve as a platform for transferring global expertise to the Egyptian market and act as a catalyst for innovation and sustainable industrial production.
The minister also stressed the importance of adhering to the highest environmental and technological safety standards, including conducting comprehensive environmental impact assessments to ensure implementation in line with international best practices.
He further directed company officials to cooperate with the Industrial Efficiency Authority to train and qualify Egyptian professionals to work on the project, ensuring effective knowledge transfer and strengthening national industrial capabilities.
For his part, Abdel Aziz said the project would mark the first facility of its kind in Egypt, Africa and the Middle East to produce sodium cyanide and its derivatives. He added that the initiative would position Egypt as the first country in the Middle East and North Africa and the second in Africa to localise this advanced technology through partnerships with global petrochemical holding companies in Austria and Czech Republic.
He explained that sodium cyanide is a critical industrial input widely used in sectors such as precious metals mining, including gold and silver, as well as pharmaceutical and agricultural industries, particularly in pesticide manufacturing.
Abdel Aziz also praised Egypt’s investment climate and its approach of engaging stakeholders and conducting consultations before implementing economic decisions, noting that the country is increasingly attracting high-value industrial and technological investments.
