Gold Fields mechanises South Deep, AngloGold sets sights on 6Moz, Randgold strikes gold in Senegal

The geology of South Deep mine lends itself to the mechanised mining that is now under way there, says outgoing Gold Fields COO Terence Goodlace on page 4 of this edition of Mining Weekly.

Goodlace reports that all conventional mining has ceased and Gold Fields is also moving to mechanised destressed mining.

With a shaft system all the way down to 3 000 m, South Deep is designed to be a modern mechanised mine. South Deep’s former staff complement of 4 300 people is expected to decline to 3 400 people, with R70-million set aside for voluntary retrenchment.

Africa’s biggest gold-miner, AngloGold Ashanti, could become a 6,5-million-ounce producer in the medium term – 1,5-million ounces more than its current output, says its CEO on page 18 of this edition of Mining Weekly.

AngloGold Ashanti has placed a dedicated project recovery team at Obuasi, in Ghana, which it is struggling to turn around, and issues at Geita, in Tanzania, have been cleared.

London-listed South African-led Randgold Resources has made a significant new discovery at Massawa, in Senegal, that is expected to be larger than its Tongon resource, in Côte d’Ivoire, which is being turned into a mine. Read on page 5 of this edition of Mining Weekly of new Senegal infrastructure adding to Massawa’s economic feasibility.

Also visit www.miningweekly.com and click on ‘Multimedia’ and then on ‘Video Clips’ to see Gold Fields CEO Nick Holland on the Kloof shaft rebuild, AngloGold Ashanti CEO Mark Cutifani on misplaced perceptions on South Africa and Gold Fields COO Terence Goodlace on South Deep.