Berita Harian quoted one Felda pioneer in Semenchu, Safar Sulah, 72, saying opening a
bauxite mine in the area would affect the livelihoods of the oil palm smallholders.
"Our first export of
bauxite ore is a landmark moment for EGA and for Guinea.
The Company's
bauxite is high quality gibbsite trihydrate (THA)
bauxite that can be processed into alumina at low temperature.
According to the organisation despite vehement opposition from local communities and international conservation organisations, the Ghanaian government seems determined to proceed with a destructive
bauxite mine in the Atiwa Forest- a globally important ecosystem that harbours extraordinary wildlife and provides water for 5 million people.
Dr Ali Alzarouni, EGA's executive vice president Midstream, said: "We are now moving into the next stage of this important research on the use of
bauxite residue, with detailed work on specific potential applications in construction.
In addition to the GAC project, EGA is building the UAE's first alumina refinery in Abu Dhabi which will process
bauxite into alumina, the feedstock for aluminium smelters.
Abdulla Kalban, managing director and chief executive officer of EGA, said: "This investment builds on our plan to secure EGA's supply chain and capitalise on growth in the third-party
bauxite market."
Guinea holds 7.4 billion tons of
bauxite, more than any other country, according to the US Geological Survey.
As with its iron ore operations in Western Australia, Rio can win an advantage in
bauxite because of the nation's proximity to China, Mark Pervan, Australia & New Zealand Banking Group's head of commodity research in Melbourne, said by phone.
According to the test results, the
Bauxite 40/50 aggregate exhibited a surface area half of silica, indicating sintered
bauxite could require less binder, though not in the same percentage reduction, based on the baseline surface area of silica sand.
Bauxite is created naturally and initially compact homogeneous material are combined with one or more types of aluminum hydroxide minerals and finally, compounds such as silicon dioxide (SiO2) and iron oxide (Fe2O3), titanium oxide (TiO2) and aluminosilicate, and other detectable impurities can be observed within the
bauxite.