The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), Mr Michael Ansah, has expressed satisfaction with progress of work undertaken by its strategic partner, Rocksure International in the development of project two at Nyinahin in the Ashanti Region.
According to him, the progress of work amply demonstrated the ability of Ghanaians to spearhead the development of not just the Integrated Aluminium Industry (IAI), but Ghana as a whole.
“We are seeing that work is progressing and what is particularly gratifying is to see a wholly-owned Ghanaian company, Rocksure International, demonstrate competence and capacity to do the sort of work. We are looking at being able to enable that capacity, enable that vision of building Ghana with Ghanaians who can drive the development of an industry such as this,” he said.
Mr Ansah made this known when he paid a working visit with a team of officers to one of the four projects under the IAI master plan being undertaken by Rocksure International.
The visit followed the commencement of Mineral Resource Estimates (MRE) by Rocksure to validate and define the bauxite reserves in the area.
He and his team were taken on a brief tour of the project site to inspect and observe the processes of collecting bauxite samples for analysis at the laboratory.
The team was also introduced to a state-of-the-art drilling machine being used to conduct auger and diamond drilling.
Mr Ansah explained that it was important to experience at first hand, the extent of work being undertaken by its partner since it would pave way for the construction of a mine and deliver a solution to refine bauxite in the country.
He said the MRE was likely to be completed in less than a year and it would pave way for the building of a new mine with a refinery solution in the Nyinahin-Mpasaaso area.
“The prospecting programme will take a few months, probably four-six months or so and we are doing hills 6A, 6B, hill 5, and hill 4. The samples are being collected progressively so we can ascertain the quality and quantity of bauxite that we have in these areas,” he added.
Mr Ansah was particularly excited to see the involvement of residents of Nyinahin-Mpsaaso and adjoining communities who have gained employment and are already on-site working.
On his part a Project Geologist at Rocksure International, Mr Isaac Marbee, explained that opting for a combined approach drilling would help obtain quality core samples that would be analysed at the laboratory to ascertain the geology and content of alumina which would inform the type of refinery to be constructed.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
