Ghana is a country located on the west coast of Africa, the Gold Coast. Known for having the best oil reserves in the world, Ghana’s other exports such as timber, diamond, manganese, cocoa, gold, and bauxite are what feed the country’s economy.
The main source of aluminum comes from the aluminum ore, Bauxite. Bauxite was first discovered by Sir Albert Kitson in the year 1914. Although found in 1914, it took 14 years for the mining of Bauxite was allowed by the British Aluminum Company, this mining took place at Awaso. The British original source of bauxite was France until they’re supply was caught off during World War II. Once again, after being given the “ok” to begin mining, it took until the 1940s, when a railroad was built connecting Awaso with a port in Takowardi, for Ghana to actually begin the mining of Bauxite.in 1974, Ghana received 55% of the British Aluminum Companies shares and in the same year, the International Bauxite Association accepted Ghana as member. The purpose of the International Bauxite Association association was to logically maintain and promote the trade and development of the bauxite industry. In 1941 the Ghana Bauxite Company began working on the mining site in Awaso and has been ever since. It is said that the site in Awaso, after all these years of mining, has reserves of Bauxite to last over 3 more decades. In other areas of Ghana including regions of Ejuanema, Nyinahin, and Kibi,, there are some reserves that are said to be capable of lasting over a century. These reserves are capable of lasting for such long periods of time due to the majority of mining that occurs at Awaso.
Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nikrumah, had dreams of industrializing the country in order make forward strides toward a m...
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... to the local levels? These regions suffered severely due to the degradation of air, water and the environment due to mining activities. These areas gain nothing from the mining of bauxite. Living conditions in these areas have nearly deteriorated. With all of the pollution from the mining there have been many health impacts on the societies that surround these mining areas such as skin diseases and malaria. With all of the production it would be expected that there would be many job opportunities but all of the mining generated no employment. Between 1992 and 1998 over 1,000 jobs were lost in the Tarkwa mining region.
Next to farming, Mining is the most important aspect of Ghana’s foundation. Bauxite mining had huge economic and social impacts on Ghana. Although some were more negative than others, it is apparent how important the mining had been to the nation.
To conclude, the video “Caravans of Gold” by Basil Davidson, the aim of the video was to give the viewers a better understanding of how Africa and its empires used their supply of gold as an advantage to their success. It embodied critical points to vindicate why Africa was such an intricate nation because how they use gold and the various empires that used gold to their benefit. By discovering the complexity of Africa, people are able to have a better clarification of this continent and how it flourished because of its
A bauxite is a mixture consisting of hydrated aluminum oxide minerals and mineral impurities which are formed by weathered aluminum bearing rocks. In 1891 bauxite was mined in Alabama from the Rock Run. However, mining came to a sudden stop because metallurgical grade bauxite became very hard to obtain. Production started back up in 1927 and has been running on a maintained basis. Due to irregular distributions of bauxite deposits, exploratory test drilling must be conducted before any mining. Alabama bauxite is used in the making of high temperature products, abrasives, and chemicals. (Tew, 6)
Summary of Source Information: This article talks about the health conditions of many miners and diamond diggers that are affected due to substandard working conditions in sub-Saharan Africa. In these areas, where there are many unregulated mining locations, workers are prone to being exploited to hazardous working conditions. Children are especially vulnerable in these environments because they already suffer from poor health conditions due to lack of care and nutrition. Children have often been exploited in the diamond industry due to their ability to get into small spaces and dig out packs of dirt. Another health effect associated with diamond mining, in which this article talks about, is how diamond deposits have often mixed with vegetated areas, leaving it unsuitable for farming activities. Mining equipment leaves heavy minerals and chemical products that run into the rivers and contaminate vital sources of water for the mining community and people who live in these rural areas. Currently, diamond companies, as well as labor and health activists, are trying to do something to help improve health conditions of workers.
The empire of Ghana had a lasting impact of many of its surrounding empires. When it would take over these empires it would change that empire for ever. Not only would it not exist anymore but also, it was taken over. Which means that these empires were weak and not powerful enough to overtake Ghana's kingdom. Ghana also had an impact of the Silk road and the merchants who traded on it. As the empire grew bigger and richer, tensions with merchants along the Silk road grew too. Meanwhile, trading became dangerous and hostile. In the end, most of the other merchants and traders hated Ghana's power.
As a result of the Gold and Salt Trade, Africa acquired an abundance of food and money which evidently brought forth a material wealth economy. Leon E. Clark, a writer from Praeger Press, New York, believed that Ghana was a country similar to his own. The Arab traders in the area wanted gold and the Wangara wanted salt. Both wanted to trade with each other, however, to do so, they “to pass through Ghana to trade” (Document #2). The government would then tax both groups of people for being on the country’s land. Through this taxation, Ghana flourished, allowing them to use gold for purposes other than currency. The Council of Kumase used the gold to create Pomas, another word for staffs. These staffs each had a Poma symbol on top, one of which
Between the 9th and 11th centuries, the kingdom of Ghana, established by the Soninke people in the 4th century, prospered in Northwest Africa. The kingdom became very rich because its location was in the middle of the trading routes of northwest Africa and it had many resources. Ghana traded salt for gold with its Northern neighbor. Also Ghana taxed every trader who went through Ghana to fund their army. The kings of Ghana ruled from their capital of Kumbi Saleh. The country had a rich cultural tradition that was reflected in religion. The kingdom of Ghana fell because of droughts, attacks, and lack of gold.
The first West African state of record was Ghana which had been ruled by over forty kings by the year 300 A.D. The early Ghanaians were a peaceful and prosperous people who developed an economy based on agriculture and...
In documents one and two they explain and evaluate the trading system and routes of the African empires, kingdoms, and cities. Document one shows the layout of the Aksum trade center and the routes which lead to and from it. Aksum is an empire located right by the Red Sea, its location made it an important international trading center. African trade centers mainly focused on the exchanges of salt and gold. Since the red sea ports are controlled by the rea sea and Aksum was located right by it, its locations made it the center of the trade center. However, in document two it describes the trans-Saharan gold and salt trade. The trans-Saharan gold and salt trade was controlled by the rich and powerful Ghana kingdom. The king had shields
It is thought-provoking, in the sense that Africa’s need for foreign created a race to the bottom, much like what Pietra Rivoli described in The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy. Due to some African states’ reliance on foreign aid in order to mine and profit on their resources, they allow business standards to be lowered and for Chinese firms to tip the contracts moresoever in the favor of Chinese firms. This lowers the potential earnings of African states by lowering royalty rates, for example. Additionally, Burgis’ research was thorough and transparent. When he did not receive a response or if his questions were dodged, he made it obvious to the readers. Sure, some could view this book as too anecdotal to be used as a credible source of Africa’s situation. However, this is due to the nature of the system Burgis is writing about; after all, they are shadow states for a reason. Some readers will be saddened by this text, others angry, most curious to learn more, but above all, everyone will be intellectually stimulated and
Though it has had many negative impacts on the environment in the past, mining is a vital industry completely necessary to our economy and lives. Nearly every item we use or encounter in our day to day lives is mined or contains mined products. Without the excavation of such materials things like computers, televisions, large building structures, electricity, and cars would not be possible. Virtually every technological and medical advance uses minded materials, without which millions would suffer. Some examples of minerals in the home include the telephone which is made from as many as 42 different minerals, including aluminum, beryllium, coal, copper, gold, iron, silver, and talc. A television requires over 35 different minerals, and more than 30 minerals are needed to make a single personal computer. Without boron, copper, gold and quartz, your digital alarm clock would not work. Every American uses an average 47,000 pounds of newly mined materials each year, which is higher than all other countries with the exception of Japan, which is a staggering figure representative of our dependence and need for mined minerals. Coal makes up more than half of nation’s electricity, and will continue to be the largest electrical supplier into 2020 & accounting for some 95 percent of the nation's fossil energy reserves – nine of every ten short-tons of coal mined in the United States is used for electricity generation. As the population of the world grows more mineral resources must be exploited through mining in order to support the rising demand for such products. Though it may present a hazard to the environment and those physically located nears the mines, the materials extracted from mines...
In this paper I ask, how did slavery begin in Ghana? What impact did it have on Ghana? How badly is Ghana underdeveloped due to this enslavement that took place? Lovejoy, Northrup, and Rodney argue that the transatlantic slave trade did in fact contribute to the underdevelopment of Africa. I support their arguments and believe the trade didn’t exactly “destroy” Ghana, but it did affect it by not letting the country improve faster, although eventually Ghana was able to depart from that “underdeveloped” category.
Ghana: The Gold Coast of Africa The Gold Coast, now known as Ghana, is one of many civilizations of Africa. It was a British Colony until March 6, 1957, when it became independent as the State of Ghana. In 1471, the Portuguese invaded this area and became involved in gold trade, giving the region the name, The Gold Coast.
Mining is the process or industry of obtaining minerals from the earth. Topics in this paper I’ll be specifically discussing are pros and cons of mining, structures of a mine, mining in general, California gold rush, diamonds in Africa, and comparison of diamond and gold mines.
An Economic History of West Africa. New York: Columbia UP, 1973. Print.
In our days, mining for resources is inevitable. The resources we need are valuable in everyday life. Such resources mined up are coal, copper, gold, silver, and sand. However, mining poses environmental risks that can degrade the quality of soil and water, which can end up effecting us humans if not taken care of and many of the damages are irreversible once they have occurred.