President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged AngloGold Ashanti to leverage the newly-opened mechanised underground mine and other redevelopment plans to lift Obuasi and its adjourning communities out of poverty.
Speaking at the official opening of the state-of-the-art underground mine, part of the Redevelopment Project for Obuasi Mine, the president said the project’s vision is to deliver a modern state-of-the-art mechanised underground mine that will enable AngloGold Ashanti to carry out its operations over the next two decades.
Since the mine’s shutdown more than five decades ago, President Akufo-Addo noted, every sector of the Obuasi Municipality whose major occupation is mining was affected. He said efficient production at the mine will make it a profitable venture.
“I am counting on the mine to pull the adjoining communities out of poverty,” he said, adding that already the mine has paid US$250,000 into the Community Trust Fund while continuing to embark on other projects which will contribute to development of the Municipality.
The president added that he will see to it that Parliament works with AngloGold Ashanti to ensure all social and environmental concerns in respect of the reclamation efforts are satisfactorily met.
At the launch, management of the newly-redeveloped AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine noted that the targetted gold production is between 350,000 and 400,000 ounces annually, within the first 10 years of the mine.
It is estimated that Obuasi will be mining at a rate of 2,000 tonnes of ore per day in 2020, progressing to 4,000 tonnes per day by year-end, at an all-in sustaining cost of around US$800/ounce.
Efforts continue to mechanise operations of the Mine, which has at the moment seen ‘Phase 1’ of the redevelopment completed with a capital injection estimated at around US$550million.
Following the Redevelopment Project’s launch, it has been disclosed Obuasi Mine achieved the first gold pour on time and on budget. It has completed the first phase of redevelopment in line with the plan to create a modern, mechanised mine.
Refurbishment of existing plant and construction of new infrastructure and underground development, in line with a new mine plan, has taken place over the past 18 months.
The Obuasi Mine will enter Phase 2 of development this year, wherein construction of new infrastructure and further work on the processing plant and underground will be carried out.AngloGold Ashanti Chief Executive Officer, Kelvin Dushnisky said: “The commemoration of first gold pour is a significant achievement for the company, Obuasi, communities around the mine, and […]
