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Obuasi Gold Mine
Gold mine in Ashanti, Ghana
Gold mine in Ashanti, Ghana
| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| name | Obuasi Gold Mine | |
| pushpin_map | Ghana | |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location in Ghana | |
| pushpin_label | Obuasi | |
| coordinates | ||
| place | Obuasi | |
| subdivision_type | Municipality | |
| state/province | Obuasi Municipal District | |
| country | Ghana | |
| products | Gold | |
| amount | 127,000 ounces | |
| financial year | 2020 | |
| opening year | 1897 | |
| active years | 1897-2014; 2019- | |
| type | Underground | owner = AngloGold Ashanti |
| official website | AngloGold Ashanti website |
| state/province = Obuasi Municipal District
The Obuasi Gold Mine is an underground gold mine situated near Obuasi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It was at one time one of the world's ten largest gold mines. The mine is in Obuasi Municipal District, 60 km southwest of the regional capital Kumasi.
The mine began operations in 1897. It was renamed AngloGold Ashanti Ghana Limited in 2004.
In 2008, AngloGold Ashanti's Ashantiland operations, consisting of Obuasi and the Iduapriem Gold Mine, contributed 11% to the company's annual production. At its temporary closure in 2014 Obuasi had past gold production plus current resource of 62 million troy ounces.
History
There is a long history of mining in the area, with mining from the Ashanti region providing the gold for which the Gold Coast got its name. Large scale commercial and industrial mining began at Obuasi in 1897 with the formation of Ashanti Goldfields Corporation.
In 2004, Ashanti Goldfields merged with AngloGold to form AngloGold Ashanti. Following significant losses, mining activities were halted in late 2014, with over 5,000 employees laid off and the mine placed in care and maintenance. During this time a large security force remained on site due to heavy pressure from local illegal miners. In 2016 an Obuasi employee was killed by a mob of illegal miners.
In 2018, after approvals were received from the Ghanaian Government, the decision was taken to recapitalize the Obuasi gold mine, with work beginning in 2019. The newly mechanized mine commenced commercial production on October 1, 2020, with its first gold pour in December 2019. It is expected to be fully operational in 2022.
On 18 January 2025, between seven to nine people were shot dead by soldiers in disputed circumstances at the mine. The army said that it had killed seven illegal miners following clashes, while a small-scale miners' association said that the nine victims were unarmed.
Production
Production figures of the recent past were:
| Year | Production | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (troy ounces) | Grade | ||||||||
| (g/t) | Cash Cost | ||||||||
| (US$ per ounce) | |||||||||
| url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061024193750/http://www.anglogold.com/Additional/Annual+Reports/Ashanti/Annual+Report+2003.htm | date=2006-10-24 }} accessed: 10 August 2010 | 537,219 | 4.84 | 198 | |||||
| 2003 | 513,163 | 4.28 | 217 | ||||||
| url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719053855/http://www.anglogoldashanti.co.za/subwebs/InformationForInvestors/AnnualReport05/report/pdf/ar_report_2005.pdf | date=2011-07-19 }} AngloGold Ashanti website, accessed: 9 August 2010 | 255,000 | 5.27 | 305 | |||||
| 2005 | 391,000 | 4.77 | 345 | ||||||
| url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707144403/http://www.anglogold.com/NR/rdonlyres/5F4B53A4-2DE4-43EC-87AB-BDB13F5C8C1F/0/ar_report_2006.pdf | date=2011-07-07 }} AngloGold Ashanti website, accessed: 9 August 2010 | 387,000 | 4.39 | 395 | |||||
| 2007 | 360,000 | 4.43 | 459 | ||||||
| 2008 | 357,000 | 4.37 | 633 | ||||||
| title=Annual Financial Statements 2009 | url=https://www.aga-reports.com/09/AnnualReport09/f/AGA_AR09.pdf | publisher=AngloGold Ashanti Limited | access-date=1 February 2022 | location=Johannesburg | page=44 | date=30 March 2010}} | 381,000 | 5.18 | 630 |
| title=2014 Integrated Report | url=https://www.aga-reports.com/14/ir/ | publisher=AngloGold Ashanti Limited | access-date=1 February 2022 | location=Johannesburg | date=31 March 2015}} | 317,000 | 5.16 | 744 | |
| 2011 | 313,000 | 4.82 | 862 | ||||||
| 2012 | 280,000 | 4.79 | 1,187 | ||||||
| 2013 | 239,000 | 4.94 | 1,406 | ||||||
| 2014 | 243,000 | 4.67 | 1,086 | ||||||
| 2019 | 2,000 | ||||||||
| title=Three-year summary statistics 2020 (financial, operational and sustainability) | url=https://www.aga-reports.com/20/download/AGA-IR20-three-year-statistics.pdf | publisher=AngloGold Ashanti Limited | location=Johannesburg | date=26 March 2021 | access-date=1 February 2022 | page=8}} | 127,000 | 6.47 | 1,145 |
- The 2004 results are for the eight months from May to December only
- The 2019 results are from the December startup only
References
References
- "An Economic History of the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation".
- "AngloGold Suspends Operations at Iduapriem {{!}} E & MJ".
- (July 2015). "Geometry and genesis of the giant Obuasi gold deposit, Ghana". University of Western Australia.
- [http://ayiajavon.com/imd110/history.htm Obuasi Gold Mine, Ghana] {{webarchive. link. (2011-07-07 ayiajavon.com, accessed: 9 August 2010)
- [http://www.futureofobuasi.com Future of Obuasi] There are a number of links on this page to history and news. Accessed April 12, 2016
- (April 11, 2016). "Fortune Hunters Endanger Africa’s Abandoned Mines Fights break out as the commodities rout forces mining companies to close shafts". The Wall Street Journal.
- "At least seven people killed by army at Ghana's AngloGold Ashanti mine".
- [http://www.anglogold.com/Additional/Annual+Reports/Ashanti/Annual+Report+2003.htm Ashanti Annual Report 2003] {{webarchive. link. (2006-10-24 accessed: 10 August 2010)
- [http://www.anglogoldashanti.co.za/subwebs/InformationForInvestors/AnnualReport05/report/pdf/ar_report_2005.pdf Annual Report 2005] {{webarchive. link. (2011-07-19 AngloGold Ashanti website, accessed: 9 August 2010)
- [http://www.anglogold.com/NR/rdonlyres/5F4B53A4-2DE4-43EC-87AB-BDB13F5C8C1F/0/ar_report_2006.pdf Annual Report 2006] {{webarchive. link. (2011-07-07 AngloGold Ashanti website, accessed: 9 August 2010)
- (30 March 2010). "Annual Financial Statements 2009". AngloGold Ashanti Limited.
- (31 March 2015). "2014 Integrated Report". AngloGold Ashanti Limited.
- (26 March 2021). "Three-year summary statistics 2020 (financial, operational and sustainability)". AngloGold Ashanti Limited.
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