AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi says illegal miners have been looting large quantities of high-grade gold-bearing materials for more than two months at its Obuasi Mine, indicating that if the act persists it will consider other available options.
The company said in the process they are causing
significant damage to critical infrastructure which serves both the mine and
surrounding communities.
Mr. Eric Asubonteng, General Manager of the AngloGold
Obuasi Mine, told a news conference in Accra that AngloGold Ashanti fears
“serious and lasting” consequences if this situation is allowed to continue.
“If this becomes continuous, AngloGold as an investor will consider other options.
“For example, electrical installations that support
water treatment plants have been vandalised by the illegal miners. This has
affected the company’s ability to treat water, and with the onset of the rains
there is a real possibility that this essential work will be compromised.
“The presence of illegal miners is making it
impossible for us to manage the situation accordingly,” he said.
Hundreds of men invaded Obuasi, once one of the
world’s largest gold mines, in February, demanding access to unused portions of
the mine to dig for the metal illegally. The incident left one person dead.
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