The General Manager of Shandong Gold Group – parent company of Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited – Hang Li, has assured government of the outfit’s determination to pour first gold at the Namdini project at Talensi in the Upper East Region by the 2024 deadline.
Speaking in an exclusive meeting held at the headquarters of Shandong Gold Group in Jinan, China, with officials of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, he said the company’s strategic plan has always been to pour gold by the fourth quarter of 2024; and its management in China is working with the team in Ghana to ensure they deliver on this commitment.
This assurance unfolded during a visit led by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Jinapor, to Shandong Gold’s headquarters.
Mr. Jinapor, while in China at the invitation of China’s Minister for Natural Resources, Wang Guanghua, was attending the 25th China Mining Conference and Exhibition in Tianjin. The Conference is a prestigious gathering that unites governments, investors and industry players.
It was on the back of this that the minister utilised the opportunity and urged Shandong Gold to expedite its mining operations in the country.
Shandong Gold Group is a big player in the mining industry, and has been ranked among the world’s top-ten gold companies for two years in a row. In Ghana, their major project is the Cardinal Namdini Mine.
It is currently under construction after resettling a local community last year. This mine is expected to become a big gold producer, with a projected output of 1.1 million ounces of gold in its first three years. This is expected to make it the third-largest gold miner in the country.
During the meeting with officials of the ministry, Mr. Hang Li – deputy Secretary of the Communist Party Committee, talked about how important the Cardinal Namdini project is. He stressed that Shandong Gold is committed to using environmentally-friendly mining practices in Ghana to set an example for all of Africa.
Mr. Li also shared plans of the company to build an airport at Bolgatanga to make travel to and from the region easier.
The minister assured the miner of government’s support to deliver gold on the scheduled timeline.
He also emphasised how important the Namdini project is for the country’s northern regions.
Furthermore, he encouraged them to move fast in building the Bolgatanga airport, which will help with transporting gold.
Mr. Jinapor also suggested that Shandong Gold should invest into other mining projects in Ghana and focus on adding value to them. This, he added, will set a great example of Chinese investment in the country.
The government delegation included head of the Minerals Commission Board, Barbara Oteng-Gyasi; chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, Samuel Atta-Akyea; and CEO of the Minerals Commission, Martin Ayisi.
