By Iddi Yire, GNA
Accra, Aug 11, GNA – Mr Alberto Calderon, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) AngloGold Ashanti, on Wednesday started a working visit to Ghana with members of his leadership team.
The team included Mr Eric Asubonteng, Obuasi Gold Mine Managing Director; Mr Samuel Pobee, Iduapriem Gold Mine Managing Director; Mr Richard Jordinson, Senior Vice President for AngloGold Ashanti’s Ghana/Tanzania Business Unit and Baso Sangqu, Senior Vice President Group Sustainability.
A statement issued by AngloGold Ashanti, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said Mr Calderon met with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Mr Mireku Duker, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, among other key stakeholders, after visiting the Obuasi Gold Mine.
“Ghana is blessed with world-class human capital and natural resources and remains one of the mining industry’s most attractive destinations for investment,” said Mr Calderon.
“We are grateful for the continued support we have received from President Akufo-Addo, the Government of Ghana and its various agencies, as well as from Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, who has been a champion of our investments in the country over many years.”
“We are proud of the contribution that our operations continue to make to Ghana and to our host communities through the royalties and taxes paid, as well as through a range of social investments in education, health, and infrastructure development among others.”
It said AngloGold Ashanti, through its wholly owned subsidiary AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, owns and operates the Obuasi and Iduapriem Gold Mines in Ghana, where production would increase significantly in the coming years as Obuasi ramps up its production.
It noted that Obuasi was undergoing a major capital investment to transform it into a long-life, mechanised mining operation.
It would be among the multi-national company’s largest and lowest-cost mining operations when it reaches full production.
Last year, AngloGold Ashanti Ghana produced 310,000oz of gold from its two mines in Ghana with a total operations expenditure from 2018 to 2021 of $1,714 billion, with more than 80 per cent spent in Ghana.
It said in 2021, $115.9 million was paid in royalties and taxes to the Government.
The company employs 6,781 people (direct employees and contractors) and invested $2.6 million in corporate social investment and initiatives in 2021.
Obuasi Gold Mine is one of the world’s largest gold ore bodies, with 29.5Moz of Mineral Resource, at an average grade of 7.64 grammes per tonne and 8.7Moz of Ore Reserve at an average grade of 8.6 grammes per tonne.
The mine currently employs 4,000 people (direct employees and contractors), with about 97.5 per cent of all positions filled by Ghanaians.
AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem) Limited operates the Iduapriem Mine in the Western Region of Ghana, about 17km southwest of Tarkwa.
Iduapriem Mine started operation in June 1992, as the Ghanaian Australian Goldfields Limited.
It also became part of the AngloGold Group in 2004 following the business combination with Ashanti Goldfields Limited 2004.
The Iduapriem Mine currently employs 2,988 people (direct employees and contractors), of which 99 per cent are Ghanaians.
GNA