Gold mining is one of the largest industries in Ghana and thus makes up a significant part of the country’s overall economy. With mining operations spread across the country, large-scale mining operations are delivering significant gold resources for the country and solidifying Ghana’s role as the largest gold producer in Africa. Therefore, as one of the largest mining companies in the world, it is no surprise that AngloGold Ashanti has vital mining developments in Ghana set on delivering gold resources to market, and adding to its diverse, high-quality portfolio of mining operations spanning the globe. However, AngloGold Ashanti is committed to delivering valuable resources whilst working to deliver vital community development and social change to support the regions in which its operations are located. For this reason, AngloGold Ashanti today is a leading mining company that delivers resources across Ghana, underpinned by its pursuit to empower people and advance societies.
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Gold has long been a vital industry for Africa, as the continent is home to multiple large mining operations taking advantage of the rich gold deposits spanning multiple countries. AngloGold Ashanti currently has gold mining operations in Egypt, Guinea, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Across these, AngloGold Ashanti is focused on pursuing value-creating opportunities, supported by its global expertise in the minerals and mining industry. However, Ghana is one of AngloGold Ashanti’s central developments in Africa, spanning the Iduapriem and Obuasi mine sites.
A key mining site for AngloGold Ashanti in Ghana is the Iduapriem Mine, located in the west of the country, spanning 137km2, inclusive of the Ajopa south-western region. The history of the Iduapriem Mine dates back to the early 1990s when Golden Shamrock Limited, the original owners of the mine, began construction of the mine with a semi-autogenous mill circuit and carbon-in-pulp (CIP) plant. By 1992, the mine had officially begun construction and poured its first gold. In 2000, AngloGold had purchased the site and began upgrades, which saw the mine’s operation output capacity increased to 4Mtpa following the merger of Ashanti with AngloGold in 2002. Today, AngloGold Ashanti has continued to expand the plant, which now delivers a 5.2 Mtpa capacity.
Across AngloGold Ashanti’s operations, the company is focused on developing methods that safely and responsibly manage mineral waste. When mining activities are conducted, tailings are produced are the waste residue that remains after minerals are extracted from mined ore. This waste residue is typically composed of finely mined ore, water and trace quantities of metals as well as some additives used in processing. Thus, managing this is essential for environmental and human health. Whilst some tailings are utilised as backfill in mines, most are deposited into surface Tailings Storage Facilities (TSF).
At the Iduapriem mine, AngloGold Ashanti has been working on developing a new Beposo TSF, which would take over from the existing Greenfields TSF. The first phase of the Beposo TSF has already been constructed, with the second phase currently underway. The construction of the Beposa TSF is being supported by local leading engineering and construction services, and will significantly help in the company’s goals to manage its tailings and implement the necessary regulations to avoid overtopping or structural failures to protect the environment and human health and safety.
The other central mine site for AngloGold in Ghana is at the Obuasi Mine, which began operations in 1897, but, in recent years, the mine has run a more limited portion of its total facilities as it has been functioning under limited operational conditions since the end of 2014. However, in 2017, AngloGold Ashanti began developing an underground mine following a feasibility study into the area, which indicated a strong technical and economic case for the mine. Today, Obuasi encompasses an underground mining operation, located within the Ashanti region and consists of a single access decline with interlevel development between 15 and 30 metres, as well as various shafts. With a 20-year life of mine from its initial feasibility study, Obuasi has continued to expand its operations, and now the mine’s infrastructure includes a 2.4 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) processing plant with flotation and bacterial oxidation, hoisting shafts with associated infrastructure, and power and water reticulation facilities.
Following the 2017 feasibility study receiving strong approvals from the AngloGold Ashanti Board, the current stage of the Obuasi mine’s development began with a three-phase approach that commenced in September 2020. The initial phase covered the conceptualisation and planning of the site, whilst the second phase focuses on the construction of the mine and its development, which was completed in 2021. Following the second phase, the mine expanded its capacity to 4,000 tonnes per day (tpd) of gold, with the final stage of the development set to increase this further to 5,000 tpd through establishing the necessary infrastructure to handle the ramping up of gold production in late 2024. However, as mining operations began, AngloGold Ashanti encountered difficult ground conditions, especially in high-grade areas. Thus, a hybrid mining approach was adopted during the 2024 mining development, using sub-level open stopes (SLOS) in the lower grade areas, and UHDF in higher grade areas. These were designed to help deliver a safer, more predictable and ramp-up profile
In May, African Underground Mining Services (AUMS) secured a A$1 billion contract via its Underground Mining Alliance Joint Venture, with AngloGold Ashanti. The contract outlines a 5-year contract where AUMS will deliver underground mining services at the Obuasi Gold Mine for AngloGold Ashanti. AUMS has previously worked with AngloGold Ashanti on the development of the Iduapriem mine, with AUMS working on the mining operations for the Iduapriem and Teberebie pits. Therefore, its role across the Obuasi Mine marks another key contract between the two companies. The new contract for the Obuasi Mine is estimated to be around A$1,020 million, and will be for services including underground development, production and related mining services. Thus, in working alongside AUMS, AngloGold Ashanti can bring greater development to the Obuasi Mine site and achieve even greater gold production for Ghana.
As both mines move towards the future, AngloGold Ashanti is passionate about ensuring that its operations are positively benefiting the local community through economic growth, empowerment and sustainability. One of the initiatives set up by AngloGold Ashanti is a 10-year Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP). The initiative launched in 2022 outlines a clear strategy which ensures that those living in the host communities of the Obuasi mine reap sustained benefits from AngloGold Ashanti’s mining business. The 10-year plan aims to improve social development, deliver a diversified and sustained local economy and improve partnerships within the local community.
A key part of the development plan includes the partnership between AngloGold Ashanti and the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation and the Ghana Education Service, which distributes 34,000 numeracy and literacy books to public schools across Obuasi. This highlights the mine’s close relationship with the local community, and through the continuous implementation of the 10-year plan, aligned with the mine’s business, the SEDP and AngloGold Ashanti can support livelihoods through things such as education until long after the life of the mine expires.
Across Ghana, AngloGold Ashanti’s operations are delivering vital gold resources for the country through the Obuasi and Idupriem gold mines. Each mine has seen its infrastructure developed to help deliver significant gold resources, for the benefit of Ghana’s economy, as it serves both local and international markets. However, across AngloGold Ashanti’s operations, there is a real focus on the communities in which its projects are operating within. With the development of the SEDP, AngloGold Ashanti continues to give back to the local community to ensure that its operations benefit those in the local community for many years to come. As AngloGold Ashanti looks towards the future, we look forward to seeing how the company continues to expand its mining operations across Africa and, in turn, deliver vital gold resources and community development for Ghana in the process.
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