Cairo — Egypt is preparing to establish the Middle East’s first sodium cyanide production facility, a project valued at around $200 million, as part of efforts to deepen local industrial manufacturing and support the country’s growing mining and petrochemical sectors.
According to a report by Economy Plus, the project is being developed by Draschem Specialized Chemicals Company, which intends to build the facility within the Sidi Kerir Petrochemicals Complex in Alexandria. Plans for the project were discussed during a meeting between Egypt’s Khaled Hashem, Minister of Industry, and a company delegation led by Mohamed Abdel Aziz, Draschem’s chief executive.
The first phase of the plant will be built on 80,000 square metres within a total project area of about 157,000 square metres, with the integration of advanced chemical processing technologies. The facility is expected to produce 50,000–55,000 tonnes of sodium cyanide annually and create approximately 500 direct jobs, alongside additional employment in associated supply chains and services.
Officials say the investment reflects Egypt’s broader strategy to localise advanced industrial technologies and expand export-oriented manufacturing. Sodium cyanide is a critical industrial input widely used in precious metals mining, particularly gold and silver extraction, as well as in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and pesticide manufacturing.
Draschem plans to implement the project in partnership with international firms including Austria’s International Chemical Holding and Czech-based chemical producer Draslovka, positioning Egypt among the few countries in Africa and the Middle East capable of producing the compound domestically.
