AngloGold Ashanti to resume production at Iduapriem

Accra, March 30, GNA - The Management of AngloGold Ashanti on Tuesday said it had applied for a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the construction of a temporary tailings storage facility at its Iduapriem mine.

It said with the construction of the facility, gold production at the Iduapriem mine, which was suspended in February this year, was expected to resume next month.

A statement issued by the company in Accra said: "It is accelerating the establishment of a water treatment plant expected to be inaugurated during the third quarter of this year and a new tailings storage facility early next year."

"The company continues to assess the rescheduling of production at the mine, with a view to recovering some of the lost production, during…," it said.

The statement said at its Obuasi mines; management had suspended the operation of gold processing pending the implementation of a revised water management strategy to reduce contaminants contained in its discharge.

It said details of the strategy had been submitted to the EPA and the essence of the revised plan was to utilise existing infrastructure for the containment and treatment of water on site.

The statement said production at the mine would be about 20,000 to 25,000 ounces lower than expected for the second quarter of the year.

It said with the support and guidance of the EPA, the mine intended to establish additional water holding and treatment facilities progressively over the next 18 months.

In 2009, Iduapriem produced 190,000 ounces of gold, Obuasi mines 381,000 ounces, which together accounted for 12 per cent of AngloGold Ashanti's global production.

GNA