Gov’t To Build Gold Refinery

Ghana’s Artisanal Small-Scale Mining (ASM) industry is set to get a certified gold refinery in the coming days and compete internationally.

This follows a fruitful engagement between a Government of Ghana team, led by the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, and officials of the London Bullion Marketing Association (LBMA).

The meeting took place on Thursday, April 27, 2023,on the sidelines of the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains, currently underway in Paris, France.

Mr. Duker, after the meeting, said the LBMA team expressed readiness to assist Ghana towards the establishment of the new gold refinery.

“I am very glad to indicate that, LBMA is ready to assist Ghana establish a new refinery for the Artisanal Small-Scale Mining (ASM) sector,” he stated.

According to him, the meeting was to afford Ghana the opportunity to reaffirm the parties’ willingness in setting up LBMA-certified refineries in Ghana.

“The meeting was to affirm Ghana’s engagement with LBMA from 2021 on steps to get some local gold refineries LBMA-certified and compete internationally.

The LBMA team, led by the CEO, Ruth Cromwell, reiterates its support for Ghana to have a clear roadmap in acquiring a certified refinery.

He mentioned that, “Today’s meeting centered on responsible sourcing of precious minerals across the world and how Ghana is meeting up to the challenge. UK-Ghanaian responsible mining organisation, Ansong Askew Limited, also participated in this important meeting.”

Mr. Duker, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, is in Paris to represent his boss, Samuel Abu Jinapor, at the 2023 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains.

He also participated in a high-powered panel discussion, themed, “Exploring Domestic Drivers for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains: The Role of Traditional Authorities, CSOs, and the Private Sector.”

Mr. Duker explained, during a panel discussion, that traditional authorities, civil society organisations (CSOs) and the private sector can support governments in promoting responsible Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM), supporting state-sponsored buying schemes of domestic gold, and creating alternative livelihoods for illegal miners in resource-rich countries.

“I stated Ghana government’s effort in the areas of establishment of community mining schemes, domestic gold buying programme, Distribution of Mercury-Free Gold Processing Equipment, Reduction of export tax on ASM gold from 3% – 1.5% while deepening engagements with traditional and local government authorities on supporting government’s efforts in developing the full potential of ASGM in Ghana.”

Other members of the panel include Fanny Fremont, Executive Director of the Responsible Micah Initiative, as the chairman, Dexter Ian Valerio of the Central Bank of the Philippines, Helene Helbig de Balzac of Datastake and Desire Nikiema of the Alliance for Responsible Mining.

Source: Anchorghana.com