Obuasi Gold Mine
{{Short description|Gold mine in Ashanti, Ghana}}
{{Infobox gold mine
| name = Obuasi Gold Mine
| image =
| width =
| caption =
| pushpin_map = Ghana
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Ghana
| pushpin_label =Obuasi
| coordinates = {{coord|06|08|53|N|01|41|30|W|region:GH|display=inline,title}}
| place = Obuasi
| subdivision_type = Municipality
| state/province = Obuasi Municipal District
| country = Ghana
| products = Gold
| amount = 127,000 ounces
| opening year = 1897
| active years = 1897-2014; 2019-
| type = Underground| owner = {{nowrap|AngloGold Ashanti}}
| official website = [http://www.anglogoldashanti.com/Default.htm AngloGold Ashanti website]
| acquisition year = }}
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.{{cite web|url=http://www.mining.com/web/worlds-top-10-gold-deposits/|title=World's top 10 gold deposits|date=7 August 2013 |accessdate=5 August 2015}} The mine is in Obuasi Municipal District, {{convert|60|km}} southwest of the regional capital Kumasi.{{cite web|url=http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/105/1/Taylor_An_economic_history_of_the_Ashanti_Goldfields_Corporation,_1895-2004.pdf |title=An Economic History of the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation|type=PDF|date= |accessdate=5 August 2015}}
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.{{Cite web |title=AngloGold Suspends Operations at Iduapriem {{!}} E & MJ |url=https://www.e-mj.com/news/africa/anglogold-suspends-operations-at-iduapriem/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=www.e-mj.com}}{{cite web |last1=Fougerouse |first1=Denis |title=Geometry and genesis of the giant Obuasi gold deposit, Ghana |url=https://api.research-repository.uwa.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/8984129/Fougerouse_Denis_2015.pdf |publisher=University of Western Australia |access-date=1 February 2022 |location=Crawley, WA |date=July 2015}}
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.[http://ayiajavon.com/imd110/history.htm Obuasi Gold Mine, Ghana] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707202211/http://ayiajavon.com/imd110/history.htm |date=2011-07-07 }} ayiajavon.com, accessed: 9 August 2010
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.[http://www.futureofobuasi.com Future of Obuasi] There are a number of links on this page to history and news. Accessed April 12, 2016{{cite news|author1=Nicholas Bariyo and Alexandra Wexler|title=Fortune Hunters Endanger Africa’s Abandoned Mines Fights break out as the commodities rout forces mining companies to close shafts|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/fortune-hunters-endanger-africas-abandoned-mines-1460418330|accessdate=April 12, 2016|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=April 11, 2016|quote=In Ghana, AngloGold Ashanti Ltd., the world’s No. 3 gold producer, closed shafts at its Obuasi mine in late 2014, as the mine hemorrhaged cash amid sinking metals prices. Early this year, hundreds of men broke through the 13-mile fence around Obuasi and started prospected for gold there on their own.}}
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.{{Cite web |title=At least seven people killed by army at Ghana's AngloGold Ashanti mine |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ghana-army-says-7-illegal-miners-killed-firefight-anglogold-ashanti-mine-2025-01-19/ |access-date=20 January 2025 |website=Reuters |language=en-US}}
Production
Production figures of the recent past were:
| class="wikitable" |
| align="center" bgcolor="#DAA520"
| Year | Production | Grade | Cash Cost |
| align="center"
| 537,219 | 4.84 | 198 |
| align="center"
| 513,163 | 4.28 | 217 |
| align="center"
| 255,000 | 5.27 | 305 |
| align="center"
| 391,000 | 4.77 | 345 |
| align="center"
| 387,000 | 4.39 | 395 |
| align="center"
| 360,000 | 4.43 | 459 |
| align="center"
| 357,000 | 4.37 | 633 |
| align="center"
| 381,000 | 5.18 | 630 |
| align="center"
| 317,000 | 5.16 | 744 |
| align="center"
| 313,000 | 4.82 | 862 |
| align="center"
| 280,000 | 4.79 | 1,187 |
| align="center"
| 239,000 | 4.94 | 1,406 |
| align="center"
| 243,000 | 4.67 | 1,086 |
| align="center"
| | | | |
| align="center"
| 2,000 | | |
| align="center"
| 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
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100716214942/http://www.anglogold.com/Default.htm AngloGold Ashanti website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230014/http://mines.acp.int/html/mine_GHA-00013_en.html Obuasi mine (GHA-00013)] Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States website
{{AngloGold Ashanti}}
Category:Surface mines in Ghana