Business Issue: Reduce Environmental Impacts;
Stakeholder Engagement
Land rehabilitation continues in Ghana

Company land rehabilitation efforts continued in 2002 at the Ghana Bauxite Company (GBC) with another three hectares of land being reforested. This is part of a pilot scheme for agro-forestry where farming activities can take place alongside land rehabilitation and follows the 2001 reforestation of three hectares of land farmed by GBC workers. In 1994, about six hectares of former farmland was similarly reforested with indigenous species and today it cannot be differentiated from the surrounding virgin forest.

The total "environmental footprint" area of the GBC operation encompasses approximately 1,800 hectares with some 300 hectares used for permanent infrastructure. Part of the previously mined areas in the concession area have already been rehabilitated and/or revegetated.

Future reforestation plans include the mining area at Ichinisio, an area of about 78 hectares although only part of this is currently mined. The goal is to begin concurrent rehabilitation as areas of the pit are mined out. An anticipated 20 hectares will require reforestation by the end of life of the existing pit. In addition, part of the tailings dam area (approximately 20 hectares) has already been decommissioned and is being used as a farming area for workers and local residents.

The original GBC mining area at Kanayerebo is no longer being mined, although there is still bauxite present. The area covers approximately 45 hectares and has been allowed to revegetate naturally. At this point it is not planned to do any formal reforestation until a decision is made as to whether the area will be re-opened for mining.