Plans are far ad­vanced for the con­struction of a $450 million manganese refinery at Nsuta, in the Western Region by the Ghana Manganese Compa­ny (GMC). The deal follows the conclu­sion of negotiations between the government and the majority shareholder of Ghana Manganese Company. The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, announced this at the Eighth University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa (UMaT) Biennial International Mining and Minerals conference which opened at Tarkwa, in the Western Region, yesterday. He spoke on the topic 'Critical Minerals: Ghana's preparedness for value addition.' Mr Jinapor indicated that the new arrangement clearly demon­strated government's preparedness to add value to critical minerals produced in Ghana, adding "this will result in economic diversifica­tion and job creation, and position our country to leverage on her mineral wealth to drive industrial­isation and enhance our competi­tiveness on the global stage." Mr Jinapor mentioned the development of a special policy on lithium to provide effective exploitation and management, and the optimal benefits from Ghana's green minerals. He said a policy statement on exploitation of green minerals, presented to Parliament, had been approved, adding that, it provided for a minimum royalty rate of sev­en per cent for green minerals and an increase in state and Ghanaian participation in all green mineral operations, to a minimum of 30 per cent.