Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) has complied with the directive of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise its report on the scope and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the proposed Ahafo Mining and Processing Expansion Project.
At a public hearing organised by the EPA at Kenyasi in the Asutifi North District of the Brong-Ahafo Region, Newmont Ghana Gold presented a new draft report to stakeholders, including the public, for them to know the social and economic impact of the project, especially, the affected communities.
The EPA was not satisfied with the initial report on the EIA presented by Newmont during a public hearing held on May 9, 2013, and, therefore, directed NGGL to prepare a new one, hence the second public hearing. The hearing also enabled the company to explain to the people structures it had put in place to address issues like water, dust, noise and general environmental pollution that would result from its operations when the project commences.
Mr. Tommie Van Der Walt, Newmont’s Project Study Director for the Public Hearing, indicated that the project, on its commencement, would increase Newmont Ahafo Mine’s annual production to around 400,000-500,000 ounces. He said the expansion project would help the company to deliver more shared value through royalties and task contributions to the country, but, more importantly, NGGL’s direct voluntary support of one dollar per ounce and one per cent of the net profit going to the Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation (NADeF).
According to Mr. Walt, “it is necessary to expand and increase the processing capacity of the Ahafo Mine, because, by increasing the processing capacity at Ahafo, it is possible to produce more gold at lower cost, but without the expansion project, production will dwindle, further limiting the mine’s life of 12 years.”
He said: “Completing the project has a potential of increasing mill capacity from 7.5 million tonnes per annum to 12 million tonnes per annum, extending the life of Ahafo Mine to 2028.”
Mr. Walt said, the expansion project lowers the economic cut-off grade of the resource, converting more mineralised material into ore, and unlock potential growth, while, in the long term, would sustain the Ahafo Mine to provide more benefits and opportunities for all, regarding, among others, employment for skilled and unskilled labour, direct payments of taxes, and royalties.
The forum was attended by three paramount chiefs – Nana Osei Kofi Abiri of Kenyasi No. 1, Odeneho Dadiako Kwabena Nsiah, Kenyasi No.2, and Barima Twereku Ampem of Ntotroso – as well as some residents of the affected communities like Manu Shed and Damso, who complained of some negative health effects from the company’s operations because of alleged noise, water and dust pollution.
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