Obuasi Gold Mine
| Location | |
|---|---|
_location_map.png)  Obuasi Gold Mine Location in Ashanti | |
| Location | Obuasi |
| Region | Ashanti |
| Country | Ghana |
| Coordinates | 06°12′N 001°41′W / 6.200°N 1.683°WCoordinates: 06°12′N 001°41′W / 6.200°N 1.683°W |
| Production | |
| Production | 381,000 |
| Financial year | 2009 |
| History | |
| Opened | 1897 |
| Owner | |
| Company | AngloGold Ashanti |
| Website | AngloGold Ashanti website |
| Year of acquisition | 2004 |
The Obuasi Gold Mine is an open-pit and underground gold mine situated near Obuasi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana and Obuasi Gold Mine is one of the top-10 largest gold mines on Earth.[1] The operation is owned by AngloGold Ashanti.[2][3] The mine is in Adansi North District.
Gold mining began at Obuasi Gold Mine more than 112 years ago, in 1897 when it was originally known as the Ashanti Mine.[1]
In 2008, AngloGold Ashanti's Ghana operations, consisting of Obuasi and the Iduapriem Gold Mine, contributed 11% to the company's annual production. Both mines became part of AngloGold Ashanti when AngloGold merged with the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation in 2004.[3]
In 2009, the mine employed over 5,700 people.[2] The mine experienced two fatalities in 2008 and one in 2009.[2]
History
Mining at Obuasi begun in 1897, then referred to as the Ashanti Mine.[4]
In an interview Kwesi Enyan, the Managing Director of the mine, announced that the mine, while potentially rich, faces challenges like returning the mine to profitability, addressing social and environmental issues, improving community engagement and illegal mining.[5] The mine was criticised as early as 1975 for environmental pollution,[6] and continues to do so.[7]
Production
Production figures of the recent past were:
| Year | Production | Grade | Cost per ounce |
| 2002 [8] | 537,219 ounces | 4.84 g/t | US$ 198 |
| 2003 [8] | 513,163 ounces | 4.28 g/t | US$217 |
| 2004 [9] | 255,000 ounces | 5.27 g/t | US$305 |
| 2005 [9] | 391,000 ounces | 4.77 g/t | US$345 |
| 2006 [10] | 387,000 ounces | 4.39 g/t | US$395 |
| 2007 [2] | 360,000 ounces | 4.43 g/t | US$459 |
| 2008 [2] | 357,000 ounces | 4.37 g/t | US$633 |
| 2009 [2] | 381,000 ounces | 5.18 g/t | US$630 |
| 2010 | |||
| 2011 | |||
| 2012 | |||
| 2013 | |||
| 2014 | |||
| 2015 |
- The 2004 results are for the eight month from May to December only.
References
- 1 2 "World's top 10 gold deposits". 7 August 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Annual Report 2009 AngloGold Ashanti website, accessed: 9 August 2010
- 1 2 Country report: Ghana - Obuasi AngloGold Ashanti website, accessed: 9 August 2010
- ↑ Obuasi Gold Mine, Ghana ayiajavon.com, accessed: 9 August 2010
- ↑ Obuasi Mine targets 500,000 ounces of gold production by 2013 The Mail - Ghana News, accessed: 9 August 2010
- ↑ Arsenic pollution at Obuasi Goldmine, town, and surrounding countryside Environmental Health Perspective website, published: 12 december 1975, accessed: 9 August 2010
- ↑ Gold Rush: The impact of gold mining on poor people in Obuasi in Ghana ghana-net.com, accessed: 9 August 2010
- 1 2 Ashanti Annual Report 2003 accessed: 10 August 2010
- 1 2 Annual Report 2005 AngloGold Ashanti website, accessed: 9 August 2010
- ↑ Annual Report 2006 AngloGold Ashanti website, accessed: 9 August 2010
External links
- AngloGold Ashanti website
- Obuasi mine (GHA-00013) Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States website
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