Ghana is the world’s second-largest producer of bauxite, after Australia. Mining accounts for 7% of its gross domestic product (GDP). The nation has about 40% of the world’s reserves; in 2011, it exported $3.25 billion worth of ore. Bauxite mining in Ghana began over 100 years ago when the United Kingdom conquered the area and encouraged the development of its rich deposits. It was used to manufacture aluminum until cheaper supplies were found in Canada.
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Uses Of Bauxite In Ghana
Bauxite is used in the production of alumina, aluminum metal, boric acid, and other chemicals. Alumina is the principal ore from which aluminum is extracted. It consists mainly of a mixture of oxides of two elements: silicon and aluminum. Boric acid is a weakly acidic compound made from boron and oxygen.
A common misconception about bauxite in Ghana is that bauxite is an ore itself, but it is actually a rock. It only contains 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent alumina (aluminum oxide). The name “bauxite” comes from the village Les Baux in France, where it was first mined in 1821. Below are some Uses Of Bauxite In Ghana;
- Bauxite is used in the chemical industry
- Bauxite is used for refractory brocks
- Bauxite is used for abrasive
- Bauxite is in Ghana used for cement
- Bauxite in Ghana is used for steel and petroleum.
Where is bauxite mined in Ghana
Bauxite, an aluminum ore has been mined in Ghana for over 50 years. It is the only country that produces it in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ghana’s bauxite deposits are located about 20 kilometers southeast of Awaso in the Ashanti region. The deposit covers about 2,000 square kilometers and consists of layers of sandstone interbedded with shales at varying thicknesses. The bulk of this deposit lies between 200m to 400m below the surface. The total estimated reserve base of bauxite in Ghana stands at 554 million metric tons with the Awaso deposit producing and exporting bauxite mainly to Europe since 1942.
bauxite areas in ghana
- Awaso
- Kibi
- Mt. Ejuamena
- Nyinahin
Where has bauxite been discovered recently in ghana
Bauxite has been discovered recently in the Atewa Forest Reserve in the Eastern Region of Ghana.