Ghana: Official survey for commercial bauxite mining at Nyinahin-Mpasaaso range commences

The official survey towards the activities for confirmation of commercial deposit of bauxite in the Nyinahin-Mpasaaso range in the Ashanti region commences.

Rock shore Mining International with its partner company, Sahara Mining Consultants have processed to the site and started drilling the hills for ore of the mineral resource for laboratory analysis.

Felix Aziz Thompson, the supervising geologist of Sahara Mining Consultants, who is in charge of the testing of the samples stated, “From my initial technical assessment, the range is endowed with commercial quantities of bauxite deposits and is thus upbeat about the fortunes for Ghana.”

This has emerged following the CEO of the Ghana Integrated Aluminum Development Corporation and some officials paid for an official tour of the site.

Nyinahin-Mpasaaso range that stretches from the Aatwima Mponua and Ahafo Ano south administrative districts in the Ashanti region has for years been associated with bauxite deposits with succeeding governments paying lip service to explore and mine to foster the national economy.

However, finally, a fully owned Ghanaian mining firm, Rock shore Mining International Company, was granted a permit to undertake the first and perhaps most crucial activity within the range, that is to prospect to confirm or otherwise of the perceived bauxite deposit within the stipulated area.

It has been speculated that this activity would eventually support the government to determine the commercial viability of the bauxite deposit if the hypothesis stands real.

Rock shore Mining International and Sahara Mining, in due course, moved to the site to undertake prospecting operations in Hills Four, Five and Six within the Nyinahin-Mpasaaso range using the ‘Diamond Drilling’ method to bring out samples of the deposit for laboratory analysis and determination of the presence of the mineral resource in the area.

Following the drilling operations at the hills, the samples of the soil are then conveyed to Mpasaaso the Sample Yard at Mpasaaso where a laboratory is being set up for the initial stage of splitting to take place by personnel of the Sahara Mining Consultants.

The samples will be then weighed and bagged to be transported to South Africa where the technology to determine the availability and viability of bauxite exist.

Felix Aziz added, “As per my technical knowledge and experience, samples from the drilling within the Nyinahin-Mpasaaso range show that the enclave is endowed with appreciable and viable economic quantities of bauxite that should be of good news to the government and economy of Ghana.”

The scheduled period for prospecting is six months and if there is confirmation of deposit for the mineral resource in commercial quantity within the area then actual mining operations of bauxite in the range could commence from 2023.

Michael Ansah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Integrated Aluminum Development Corporation (GIADEC) said, “The development of the Nyinahin-Mpasaaso bauxite mine is part of the multi-year and integrated Aluminum industry agenda of the government that will maximize local capacities.”