Come March 2020, the Western Region will host Ghana’s first ever Gold Expo to promote businesses within the gold mining value chain.
The initiative, borne out of a collaboration between Aurum Monaco (partners of View Tag Ghana) and the Western Regional Coordinating Council, also seeks to synegize efforts at ensuring transparent and responsible mining in Ghana.
Speaking at a media engagement on the upcoming Ghana Gold Expo, Minister for Western Region, Dr Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah stressed that the initiative presents a platform to showcase Ghana and Western Region as the hub for gold related activities especially, sales and marketing of value-added gold products.
“Participants will be exposed to new technologies and innovations in the gold mining industry” he added.
One promising feature of this Expo, is the exposure industry players in the gold mining and processing sector, will have to the various legal frameworks, trade relations and investments portfolios in the country.
Dr Okyere Darko Mensah added that these legal frameworks will reference areas on gold licensing and the setting up of gold refineries to enhance value addition.
Zero Mercury Target
The Regional Minister recalled that the Western Region has suffered the deadliest consequence of the operations of illegal mining. It is reported that about nine-one tonnes of mercury was dumped into the natural environment, polluting the land and water bodies, in 2018, through the operations of illegal mining.
Dr Okyere Darko Mensah emphasised that the Expo will equally target the phasing-out of mercury usage in mining and related activities in Ghana, as envisaged in the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
“As a region, we have had our fair share of the repercussion of illegal mining and the indiscriminate use of harmful chemicals in mining operations. The Ghana Gold Expo is part of a total package with an overarching aim to deepen bilateral cooperation and to promote responsible (ZERO MECURY) gold operations in Africa, Asia, North and South America, Europe and Australia. We therefore deem it necessary to buy into this laudable idea so that we can coordinate our efforts in this regard, especially, with the coming on board of the Community Mining Initiative” he noted.
Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Aurum Monaco, Selim Fendi detailed that their collaboration will bring about innovation and technology in fast tracking the fulfilment of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and as well bring about some improvement in the socio-economic lives of the mining communities.
“We offering solutions. We have to provide solutions but they have to be sustainable solutions.
“We want to eradicate the use of mercury from the process of small scale and artisanal mining…give access to technology that are available today and end the use of mercury” Mr Fendi mentioned.
Mr Fendi hinted that the Expo will explore some financing schemes to support mining operations in the Ghanaian community.
“The most important is access to finance. If there’s no finance available for miners, that would not work” he stated.
Highlights of the Event
DATE EVENT
Sunday, 8th March Ghana Gold Gift Day (Exhibition)
Monday, 9th March Mining in Ghana Forum:
Ghana Gold History /Facts
Regulation and Taxation
Gold Demand and Supply
Gold Trade and Investment
Tuesday, 10th March Small Scale Miners Dialogue:
Responsible Gold Supply Chain
Due Diligence requirements for
International markets such as the OECD requirements.
How to engage with artisanal and Small Scale Mining.
Creating a supply chain from mine to retail:
What does it entail?
The different certifications for the supply chain.
Cases of Success in Africa Focus- Large Scale Companies:
Exploration
Development operation
De-commission and Post Closure.
