ASHANTI, ANGLOGOLD OPEN NEW MINE IN TANZANIA
Date: Thursday, August 03, 2000
Three African countries – Tanzania, Ghana and South Africa – showcased their combined mining mettle today (Thursday, 3 August, 2000) at the official opening of the Geita Gold Mine in Tanzania, a joint venture between Ghanaian-based Ashanti Goldfields Limited (Ashanti) and South African-based AngloGold Limited (AngloGold).
The President of Tanzania, Benjamin William Mkapa, delivered the keynote address and performed the official opening. Other speakers included the Tanzanian Minister of Energy and Minerals, Dr Abdallah Kigoda; the CEO of Ashanti, Sam Jonah and the CEO of AngloGold, Bobby Godsell. Among those present at the high profile event were the South African Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka; the Ghanaian Minister of Mines and Energy, Dr John Abu; the Tanzanian Minister of Finance, Daniel Yona; the Tanzanian Minister of the Environment, Edward Lowasa; and the South African High Commissioner, Ms Theresa Solomon.
Geita Gold Mine - situated in north-western Tanzania, 90km from the regional capital of Mwanza - was completed in less than a year from first concrete pour to first gold pour; more than three months ahead of schedule; and within the budgeted capital cost of US$165 million. The mine’s first gold was poured on 8 June this year and to date, more than 41,000 ounces have been produced during the commissioning phase.
500,000 ounces a year, cash costs below US$180, significant potential for increase in resources and reserves
Geita Gold Mine is already the biggest gold producer in East Africa.
Full production capacity should be reached by 2001, with an average of 500,000 ounces a year produced for the first five years, at a cash cost expected to be below US$180 per ounce. Plant capacity is currently 4 Mtpa but there is potential to expand this to 7 Mtpa with little incremental capital.
A significant increase in resources has occurred over the past year, with the current resource base now more than 12.0 million ounces. Currently defined reserves stand at 49Mt @ 3.5 g/t (approximately 5.5 million ounces), providing a 12-year mine life, even at the current low gold price.
Mining, processing, environmental management
Mining is carried out using selective mining techniques to maximize process plant feed and optimise project economics. The ore is processed using conventional carbon in leach technology, assisted by oxygen injection and a gravity circuit. An in-line leach reactor, one of the first on the African continent, has also been installed to boost gold recovery.
The plant boasts the largest shell-mounted mill in the world and has state-of-the-art, integrated control systems to optimise reagent consumption and throughput. The project is developing stringent safety and environmental management systems, based on the internationally recognized ISO14001.
Ashanti Goldfields, AngloGold partnership
In April this year, it was announced that Ashanti would sell an effective 50% interest in the Geita project to AngloGold, and that the mine would be managed jointly by the two African mining giants. At the same time, they entered into a broader strategic alliance to seek opportunities to work together throughout Africa, including their home countries.
The Geita joint venture has been strengthened by the inclusion of AngloGold’s Nyamulilima Hill property (some 14km from the Geita process plant), adding approximately 2.1 million ounces to the current resource base.
Management of the property has already been transferred to the joint venture management team and this resource is expected to significantly improve the overall project value as reserves are defined.
AngloGold CEO Bobby Godsell praised the Tanzanian Government at today’s ceremony for creating “a policy, tax and regulatory environment attractive to mining investors”.
“We look forward to a long and productive relationship with the Government and people of Tanzania,” Godsell said.
Positive impact on the Tanzanian economy
Geita Gold Mine has already made a significant, positive impact on the Tanzanian economy. More than 1,700 people were directly employed during the construction of the mine, 1,350 of whom were Tanzanian. More than 100 Tanzanian companies received business from the mine. The current workforce is 500, more than 85% of whom are Tanzanians.
Now that the mine is developed and operational, intensive training has begun for Tanzanian employees. This has already involved the secondment of Tanzanian engineers, geologists and metallurgists to other countries to gain operational exposure. The objective is to reduce the non-Tanzanian component of the workforce to less than 5%.
Speaking at today’s event, Ashanti Goldfields CEO Sam Jonah referred to a number of Ghanaians who had been empowered to undertake major mining projects, including Geita, and said such steps were “a measure by which Ashanti’s commitment to manpower and development should be judged”.
“We believe that, given the encouragement, the right training and the opportunity, our Tanzanian brothers and sisters will be capable of emulating these examples. That is what Ashanti stands for, and that is what Ashanti has decided to establish here,”Jonah said.
The neighbouring town of Geita has been the fastest growing urban centre in East Africa during the past two years. Housing and business development has led the way in its transformation to a vigorous, vibrant community.
As part of the parent companies’ social responsibilities, significant improvements have been made in local communities. A 67-kilometre road from Ilogi to Geita has been constructed, providing an uninterrupted, quality transport route from Dar es Salaam to Geita. In addition, a 22-kilometre water pipeline from Lake Victoria has made water available to villages along the route. Power and water, as well as a new ward, have been provided to the Geita District Hospital and, in addition, new primary and secondary school facilities are being established.
SPEECH BY BOBBY GODSELL, CEO, ANGLOGOLD AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF GEITA GOLD MINE THURSDAY, 3RD AUGUST 2000
SPEECH BY SAM JONAH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF ASHANTI GOLDFIELDS COMPANY LIMITED AT THE COMMISSIONING OF GEITA
Click here to view and download pictures of Geita Mine.
Disclaimer
Except for the historical information which may be contained herein, there maybe matters discussed in this news release that are forward-looking statements. Such statements are only predictions and actual events or results may differ materially. For a discussion of important factors including, but not limited to, development of the Company's business, the economic outlook in the gold mining industry, expectations regarding gold prices and production, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, refer to the Company's annual report on the Form 20-F for the year ended
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