AngloGold Ashanti committed to environmental management

Kumasi, Sept. 03, GNA 96 The Management of AngloGold Ashanti has deposited 2.6 million dollars with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at a bank as security against the company's environmental liabilities arising out of its mining operations.

Last year, the company made provision for 7.2 million dollars for the rehabilitation of disturbed areas, decommissioning and post closure care and maintenance of its mining areas.

Mr Dan Owiredu, Deputy Chief Operating Officer for Africa Operations of AngloGold Ashanti announced these in Kumasi when presenting a paper on 93The Impact of Mining on the Environment and Remedial Measures 96 The AngloGold Ashanti Experience=94. He said at Bibiani, the company had earmarked 3.5 million dollars as its environmental budget for this year against the rehabilitation of disturbed areas, which at present stood at less than 10 per cent of the entire mine lease area of 4.980 hectares.

Mr Owiredu indicated that already, there were enough on the ground to justify these fiscal commitments.

=93In one of our operations in Ghana, apart from the areas covered by tailings storage facilities, which can only be rehabilitated after the actual termination of operations, surface land area remaining to be rehabilitated is less than two per cent of our mine lease,=94 he stressed.

The Deputy Chief Operating Officer said the company's approach to rehabilitation of its mined areas had been a progressive one as in some places, they rehabilitated alongside the progress of the mining operations.

=93In fact, in some of our operations, rehabilitation started right from the onset of the mine and today, the results are very commendable,=94 he said.

Mr Owiredu added that the company was not just planting trees to replace those they cleared for gold but was committed to agro-forestry, education and health care and those most likely to be sustainable=94 once our operations have come to a conclusion in that community.=94 The Deputy Chief Operating Officer said for example, AngloGold Ashanti had embarked on a 600,000-dollar alternative livelihood programme for the host Iduapriem and Teberebe communities to improve the socio-economic lives of the people.