The Ghana Integrated Aluminum Development Corporation (GIADEC) has expressed confidence of an increase in the production capacity of bauxite if the new mining lease before parliament is approved.

This comes after Parliament in July this year unanimously ratified a mining lease for the Ghana Bauxite Company, allowing it to mine bauxite at Awaso in the Bibiani Anwhiaso Bekwai Municipality of the Western North Region.

The decision was made following a report presented by a joint Parliamentary Committee of Mines and Energy, and Lands and Forestry on June 26, 2024.

The Awaso Bauxite Mine is a key part of the government’s policy to build an integrated aluminum industry in the country.

According to Senior Technical Manager at GIADEC Dr. Kwabena Mensah the move by parliament will boost the bauxite mining space and explore more opportunities for Ghana to end the exportation of raw bauxite.

Speaking to Joy Business at a media workshop on a report on the 2021/2022 Ghana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Dr. Mensah said GIADEC has identified the mine as one of its four projects to build an integrated industry.

"The Ghana Bauxite Company is required to meet some EPA conditions. We have added two more hills to ensure they meet the quantities and volume we expect for the integrated aluminum projects. We are putting things in place for them to have enough resources. They are working on an improved equipment and moving away from the traditional ways of mining"

"It's a step not a one day thing. They are working judiciously to meet targets. There is a timeline but they are really working. The mining processes will be improved," he said

GIADEC is working with strategic investors to expand the mine and build a refinery solution to refine bauxite mined in the area.