The Ghana Bauxite Firm is increasing its floor mining operations to mitigate the influence of its operations on the atmosphere.
The current drill and blast technique is anticipated to ease to permit for floor mining which has much less adverse impact on the atmosphere.
The drill and blast operations, which is basically used within the mining of bauxite, produce air and noise air pollution that negatively influence the atmosphere.
Till the brand new administration took over the Ghana Bauxite Firm, operations largely trusted drill and blast strategies, with attendant dangers.
The brand new traders are shifting to the floor mining of bauxite as a extra environmentally pleasant operation.
Basic Supervisor for Ghana Bauxite Firm, Alexander Gyedu, talking on the commissioning of a Group Relations Workplace, “This transition goals to boost operational effectivity, scale back environmental influence, improve useful resource restoration and reinforce our dedication to sustainability.”
In keeping with the corporate, delivering premium bauxite by sustainable mining practices stays a precedence.
“The corporate is dedicated to leveraging a long time of expertise to responsibly extract and ship top quality bauxite ore whereas upholding the very best requirements of security, operational excellence environmental stewardship, job creation, group engagement and leaving a long-lasting optimistic influence within the lives of the folks in our catchment space whiles contributing to nationwide improvement efforts of the federal government of Ghana,” Mr. Gyedu emphasised.
The Ghana Bauxite Firm has emphasised dedication to all correct mining practices that contribute to the conservation of the atmosphere.
Investments
The Ofori Poku Firm Restricted, after securing eighty p.c shares in GBC, has invested 122.98 million {dollars} into the corporate to enhance effectivity and guarantee environmental safety.
The investments made is geared toward rising manufacturing to 6 million tonnes by shut of 2025.
The transition of operations to floor mining has elevated manufacturing volumes to 1.8 million tonnes in 2024, from 1.2 million tonnes each year.
The US$122.98 million funding was used within the buy of sturdy fleet of kit such because the floor miner, haulage vans, dump vans, excavators and retooling of current plant and equipment.
Upon the takeover of GBC by OPCL, the corporate had 33 earthmoving gear with 9 dump vans, 7 utilities and three mild responsibility automobiles.
Many of the inherited gear had been in poor situation.
In keeping with the Basic Supervisor, Alexander Gyedu, by the top of February 2025, the brand new traders “acquired 42 new earth transferring gear, 52 new dump vans, 16 new utilities, one floor miner and 35 new mild responsibility automobiles.”
Different equipment procured embody, “2 newrollers, tractor slasher, amongst others for mining functions. The second floor miner is anticipated in Ghana by finish of June”.
New fleet of vans have additionally been procured to spice up the haulage of bauxite to the port.
From the 80 fleet of 9 axle vans inherited for haulage, extra 161 fleet of the identical vans have been procured.
“Now we have additionally secured a service van for the haulage division. The acquisition of recent vans has largely contributed to enhancing haulage operations from round 600,000 tonnes in 2022 to about 1,700,000 tons of bauxite in 2024. It is very important be aware that, extra tonnage was hauled by a non-public transporter in 2024”, Mr. Gyedu added.
Other than the Awaso Mine, the Firm has operations in Takoradi the place some investments had been made by the most important shareholder, OPCL.
From the retooling, the corporate has procured three Cat 990’s of 23 ton capability, one cat 992 of 25 ton capability, a employees bus, 715 KVA generator, 4 dozers amongst others.
The corporate indicated, “Now we have constructed containerized workplace, partnered with SGS and established on-site laboratory, secured a twelfth (12) acre land to function a secondary stockpile space amongst others.”
Workers Welfare
Within the space of employees welfare, the corporate maintains important investments have been made to enhance capability and improve effectivity.
The earlier administration of the corporate Bonsai Minerals Group left behind 483 workers. To enhance manufacturing, the quantity was elevated to 1,158.
In response to gender fairness, the corporate has elevated the feminine workers from 31 in 2022 to 85 at the moment as a deliberate motion to empower girls and guarantee gender mainstreaming of their operations.
Mr. Gyedu commenting on problems with employees welfare defined, “As at 2021, many of the workers had been outsourced employees, this standing was become Contract employees and so they had been roped into the mainstream workforce of the corporate”.
“OPCL then resolved many of the points that needed to do with the outsourced employees with the introduction of wage construction that introduced sanity within the wage administration system. The identical construction ensured that the salaries of staff had been elevated past 300 % in 2023 and by 35% in 2024,” he added.
The corporate has additional insisted on dedication in the direction of offering job alternatives for individuals inside the catchment.
Already, ninety p.c of employees had been recruited from the mine’s catchment.
Company Social Accountability
As a part of Company Social Accountability, the corporate is offering studying alternatives to college students inside the catchment space. Some college students have obtained nationwide service and attachment alternatives.
“In 2023/2024, the corporate took 74 nationwide service personnel out of which 30 had been retained and given employment. Equally, the corporate has taken 82 nationwide service personnel this 12 months”, the corporate has mentioned.
Basic Supervisor, Alexander Gyedu says the corporate supported the development of Awaso chiefs Palace.
“The corporate has supported the Bibiani Ahwiaso Police Divisional Command for the development of their workplace complicated. The corporate has supported the development of Takoradi Navy 2BN swimming pool”, he mentioned.
The corporate has prolonged help to annual festivities of the chiefs and folks in catchment communities.
“Boreholes at Atronsu, Development of a bridge in Akonsu are amongst areas the corporate has supported”, Mr. Gyedu added.
To boost synergy between GBC and catchment communities, a Group Relations Workplace has been opened to liaise between the catchment and the mine.
“Clearly that is consistent with our fifth core values, group, and signifies one of many issues we cherish and consider in as an organization. Our operations goals to fostering native improvement, offering financial alternatives, and selling mutually useful partnerships. This Group Relations Workplace is a sign of those commitments”, the Basic Supervisor of GBC mentioned.
Although the group believes the mission is lengthy overdue, they’re excited concerning the anticipated influence.
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