Mali forecasts 2015 gold production to slip to 48.9 tonnes

Robex Resources

14/03/2015 12:29

BAMAKO, March 14 (Reuters) - Mali, the third-largest gold producer in sub-Saharan Africa, 
has trimmed its forecast for gold production this year to 48.9 tonnes from 49.8 tonnes in 2014 
as production from some mature mines dwindles, the mines ministry said. 
    Lassana Guindo, technical advisor at the ministry, said industrial production would be 
around 44.9 tonnes this year, plus a further four tonnes of artisanal output.  
    "The fall in production is due essentially to the exhaustion of reserves in certain mines, 
notably  Yatela which is closing and the Morila mines and Sadiola," he said. 
    Yatela, in which Anglogold Ashanti  ANGJ.J  and Canada's Iamgold  IMG.TO  each hold 40 
percent, is forecast to production just 310 kg of gold this year versus 1.07 tonnes in 2014, 
well below its peak output of 7 tonnes a year. The Malian state owns 20 percent of the  mine.  
    Morila, which had peak production of around 20 tonnes a year, will see output fall to 3.7 
tonnes in 2015 from 4.4 tonnes last year. Randgold Resources  RRS.L  and Anglogold Ashanti both 
own 40 percent of the mine, with the Malian state holding the remainder. 
    "If exploration underway does not discover any new reserves, the mine will have to close in 
2017-2018," said Mohamed Keita, administrator of the Morila mine at the ministry. 
    An interministerial commission put in place by  the government at Yatela and Morila foresees 
the closure of the two  mines in 2017-2018, the ministry  said. 
    Production at the Sadiola mine operated by Anglogold Ashanti will slide to 4.7 tonnes from 
7.7 tonnes last year -- well below peaks of around 15 tonnes a year. 
  Mines /(companies)              2015 Forecast (kg)         2014 Production (kg) 
  Sadiola (Anglogold)                4,779,000                      7,712,743     
  Morila (Randgold/Anglogold)        3,727,000                      4,495,088 
  Yatela (Anglogold/Iamgold)           310,000                      1,070,992 
  Kalana  (Avnel gold)                 242,758                        335,575 
  Loulo-Gounkoto (Randgold)         21,153,742                     21,192,777 
  Tabakoto/Segala (Endeavour mining) 5,847,000                      4,584,414 
  Syama (Resolute Mining)            8,500,000                      6,432,523 
  Nampala (Robex)                      388,785                          7,598 
 Total Industrial Production        44,948,285                     45,839,710 
 Total Artisanal Production          4,000,000                       4000,00 
 Overall Gold Production            48,948,285                     49,839,710 
 (Source: mining ministry) 
  
 (Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo, editing by William Hardy) 
 ((daniel.flynn@thomsonreuters.com; +221 33 864 5076; Reuters Messaging: 
daniel.flynn.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: MALI GOLD/