The first ever Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) has indicated that bauxite deposits in the Nyinahin Block-B hills in the Ashanti Region are twice more than historically estimated.
While previous studies showed 250 million tonnes of bauxite deposits in the three hills – hills four, five and six – the latest and first ever scientific appraisal of the deposits, using modern technology, indicated that the locations actually held a minimum of 375 million tonnes of bauxite in those three hills, about 50 per cent appreciation over the historical figures.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), Michael Ansah, and the CEO of Rocksure International, the strategic partner for GIADEC’s Project Two, Kwasi Osei Ofori, made this known to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House in Accra last Tuesday
In September, 2021, GIADEC announced the selection of Rocksure International, a wholly Ghanaian owned company, as its strategic partner for Project Two, one of four projects that define the Integrated Aluminium Industry (IAI), being executed by GIADEC.
Rocksure International, following its selection by GIADEC, commenced a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) in Nyinahin Block-B, specifically Hills four, five and six to validate and define the bauxite resources.
Ghana’s bauxite resources are estimated to be around 900 million tonnes. Bauxite in Ghana is mainly concentrated in three areas i.e Awaso, in the Western North Region, with 60 million tonnes, Kyebi, in the Eastern Region, with 160 million tonnes and Nyinahin, in the Ashanti Region, with the highest bauxite resources of 700 million tonnes.
The Nyinahin ridge was said to have 10 hills and Rocksure International Limited was assigned three hills which are hills to undertake mineral resource estimates in these areas.
The validation of the bauxite resources in parts of the Nyinahin area through an MRE is the first time Ghana is taking steps to validate all of its bauxite resources across the country.
President Akufo-Addo, who sat through a power point presentation at the Jubilee House, later commended the two institutions for doing a good job on the minerals resource estimates.
He said it was a very important step being taken for the country and said the role of government was to provide the maximum support that was needed to make sure the exercise became a reality.
Background
President Akufo-Addo on September 14, 2021, launched the GIADEC which was a four- project agenda which essentially sought to increase the bauxite production of the country and add value to them through refining and smelting.
Under project one, the existing mine in Awaso is being expanded and a refinery solution would be added to the mine.
Bauxite
A Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, said “we know the quality and quantity of bauxite in these areas and we are, by this report, happy also to indicate to you that GIADEC has collaborated well with Rocksure and these two institutions have the highlights of this report.”
He said the completion of the MRE paved way for the two institutions to move into the mining stage of the operation which presented a promising opportunity for building an integrated aluminium industry in the country.
Mr Duker said work on the other two projects, project three and four which were the development of mines in Kyebi and the other hills in Nyinahin and that of the modernisation of Volta Aluminium Company, (VALCO) was also progressing steadily.
Presentation
In a power point presentation, Mr Ansah said GIADEC was working with Ghanaian companies on the first two projects and as such the attempt to ensure that Ghanaians participated fully in what was being done had to a large extent been achieved.
Source: graphic.com.gh
