By admin 
By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Digaare (U/ER), November 9, GNA -Government will continue to pursue its vision of adding value to the country’s mineral resources and translating them into prosperity for the benefit of all Ghanaians.
To this end, the government would work closely with all stakeholders in the mining sector to ensure sustainable management and use of the country’s natural resources.
Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, gave the assurance during the official commissioning of Cardinal Namdini Mine, a subsidiary of Shandong Gold Group, a Chinese company, in Talensi District of the Upper East Region .
Shandong Gold Group has invested about US$1.1 billion in its Talensi mine since it began operating about two years ago.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo inaugurated the gold mine on Friday during a colorful ceremony in Digaare, which also marked the pouring of the first gold in Ghana.
It is the first large-scale mine in northern Ghana and one of the largest gold flow mines in the West African sub-region.
The project, implemented by Cardinal Namdini, has a life of 15 years and is expected to produce approximately 150 million tons of ore during that period, equivalent to five million ounces of gold.
It is the first greenfield mine (starting from scratch) in Ghana since 2013, when the Newmont Akyem mine deposited its first gold.
The Lands Minister underscored the need for the company to comply with Ghanaian mining regulations by strictly adhering to best environmental and socio-economic practices.
“The government expects you to adopt best mining practices and adhere to all environmental and other legal standards for safe and sustainable mining operations.
“I am aware that your parent company, Shandong Gold Group, has been a world leader in key technologies for gold mining and processing, and I have no doubt that you will replicate the same standards here in Ghana,” he said. Mr Jinapor.
The minister highlighted some of the measures taken by the government to facilitate the smooth operations of large-scale mining companies in the northern part of the country and attract investors to that part of the country.
“I am pleased to also announce that in addition to this mine, another large-scale greenfield mine is being built in the Upper West Region by Azumah Resources.
“And just below the northern belt of the country, Newmont is building a new mine in Ahafo North.
“To meet the regulatory needs of these emerging mines, a five-storey regional office complex is being built for the Minerals Commission, which would be equipped with a laboratory,” he stated.
The minister said the ministry is upgrading the Minerals Commission district offices in Bolgatanga, Wa and Bole to regional status, and new regional offices are being built in those areas to meet the regulatory needs of the mining companies in the middle and north of the country. belt.
Those offices, the minister explained, would cater to the needs of the emerging large-scale mines in that part of the country, in addition to regulating the activities of the small-scale miners.
Mr. Jinapor stated that the Ministry was not only focused on ensuring higher gold production but also on ensuring effective implementation of the President’s vision of adding value to mineral resources through the establishment of mineral refineries in the mining areas.
“As we work to increase production, we continue to pursue President Akufo-Addo’s vision to add value to our mineral resources and translate these quantities of minerals into prosperity for the benefit of the people.
“We have therefore built and commissioned a gold refinery with a capacity of 400 kilograms to refine the gold we produce, and in the next few weeks the President will clear the ground for the start of work on a manganese refinery to worth US$450 million in Nsuta in the Western Region, funded by the parent company of Ghana Manganese Company,” Mr Jinapor said.
On his part, Mr. Tong Defa, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, said the project has strengthened the long-standing bilateral relations between China and Ghana.
He pledged the Chinese government’s continued commitment to working closely with the government of Ghana for sustainable development.
Noting that China has long been a major trading partner of Ghana, with a huge presence in Ghana’s mining sector, he expressed the country’s commitment to deploying cutting-edge technologies to develop the sector.
GNA