PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti has awarded a joint venture (JV) between ASX-listed Ausdrill and Barminco Holdings a $375-million mining services contract at the Obuasi project, in Ghana.
A previously published feasibility study on Obuasi found a 5.8-million-ounce ore reserve and 34-million-ounce mineral resource. Mine production for the first ten years will be focused on the upper orebodies and is expected to average 350 000 oz to 450 000 oz at an average head grade of 8.1 g/t gold.
The five-year contract covers a full suite of underground mining services at Obuasi, and works are expected to start in the first quarter of the 2019 calendar year.
Some 550 people will be employed on the project team.
The contract was awarded to a JV between the Ausdrill/Barminco JV vehicle, African Underground Mining Services, and Ghanian mining contractor Rocksure International.