AngloGold Ashanti miner missing after pit collapse
AngloGold Ashanti has suspended operations at its Obuasi Gold Mine to search for a missing miner following a collapse in one of its underground pits.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, and triggered a search and rescue effort.
The company said a crew from an underground mining contractor was working, tensioning brow cable bolts when the collapse, described in the mining industry as ‘fall of ground’, occurred.
“One of the crew members, who was at the time supervising and standing on the ground, was unfortunately drawn into the void,” Managing Director Eric Asubonteng said. “In the interest of safety, and to allow for an unimpeded search and rescue effort, mining operations were suspended yesterday”.
The mine rescue teams are working in difficult geotechnical conditions in the immediate area to locate the missing person.
The firm said relevant authorities have been notified and are providing support.
AngloGold Ashanti said the safety of its entire workforce is and will remain a paramount focus.
The firm entreated employees to remain calm and continue to adhere strictly to all the safety protocols.
What is fall of ground?
Fall of ground is globally considered a major hazard in underground mines.
It is a situation whereby the roof or rib (shoulders) of an excavation collapses or falls.
Fall of ground is mainly characterised by several severe consequences of which fatal injury is considered the worst. It generates various degrees of injuries and often causes the absence of personnel from active duties at the workplace.
Lack of caution or failure to comply with standard operating procedures (SOP), rules, good practices, or codes are some major causes of ground fall.
Other reasons include:
➢ Adverse geological conditions
➢ Seismic activity
➢ Inappropriate ground support design
➢ Uncontrolled ground vibration from overcharging blast holes
➢ Installation of inferior ground support materials
➢ Excessive water pressure
➢ Erosion of weak (fault) zones
➢ Rock mass weathering
AngloGold Targets Improvement In Safety
AngloGold Ashanti set new objectives towards efficiency and safety after posting impressive returns with increased dividends for investors for the first quarter of 2021.
AngloGold Ashanti recorded six fatalities in 2020, four at Mponeng in South Africa and two at Obuasi.
“Last week, on 16 February, we tragically lost another of our colleagues at our Serra Grande Mine in Brazil. We continue to invest considerable resources in understanding the root causes of all accidents – including high potential incidents or ‘near misses’ – in order to prevent reoccurrence.
“This year, we expect to implement an updated safety strategy across our business, with particular focus on the critical controls needed to eliminate what we call ‘high consequence, low frequency’ events,” the firm noted in its report.
Increase in profits and dividends
AngloGold Ashanti reported a fivefold increase in its full-year dividend payment for 2020, bringing huge returns to investors.
The multinational gold firm also added 6 million ounces of new Ore Reserve on a gross basis, as it chartered a return to growth.
The company declared a full-year dividend of approximately 48 US cents per share compared to a dividend of 9 US cents per share in 2019.