In line with its strategy to ensure a sustainable contribution to the economies in host countries, AngloGold Ashanti has facilitated the establishment of the BG Umoja joint venture in Tanzania.
Which has been awarded the $186m worth of two-year mining contract for the Nyankanga and Geita Hill underground mining projects.
The 80/20 joint venture is a partnership between Africa Underground Mining Services (AUMS) Tanzania, a subsidiary of Australia’s Perenti Group, and local drilling services and mining supply company, Geofields Tanzania Limited.
The partnership is modeled on a similar underground mining joint
venture at the Obuasi Redevelopment Project in Ghana between AUMS Ghana and Accra-based, wholly Ghanaian-owned Rocksure and will help build local specialised mining capacity.
AngloGold Ashanti’s Chief Operating Officer- Africa, Sicelo Ntuli said;
“We’re working with our experienced mining contractors to assist in establishing local joint ventures for long-term transfer of sustainable skills, and to continue building on our sustainable local procurement programmes.
“AngloGold Ashanti is building sustainable local procurement programmes that will allow it to stimulate economic and social
development at all of its operations, evidenced by the significant
contribution Geita has made to the fiscus and people of Tanzania,” he said.
He added that AngloGold Ashanti’s annual expenditure with indigenous Tanzanian suppliers has almost tripled to $162 m since 2016. The company’s local team in Tanzania has set itself an ambitious target of 60% to 70% of all expenditures with indigenous Tanzanian companies, by 2025.
In addition, he said AngloGold Ashanti’s Geita Gold Mine has awarded a two-year fuel transportation contract, worth approximately $10.8m a year, to two local contractors. Both have a presence in Geita town and participate in social initiatives aimed at uplifting the lives of host community residents.
“The Geita based company is one of those that were enrolled under the capacity building initiative for host community suppliers implemented in partnership between the Mine and the National Economic Empowerment Council (NEEC) to enhance the capacity of Geita suppliers to effectively compete in the Mines supply chain.
“To influence Scope 3 emissions, trucks are to be compliant with EURO IV emissions standards, tankers are to be made of an aluminum alloy material to reduce weight and the age of the fleet will be maintained at less than six years.
“The contractors already employ women fuel tanker drivers to meet the mine’s requirements for diversity and inclusion. The two contractors both own workshop facilities in Geita town and participate in social initiatives aimed at uplifting the lives of host community residents,” he said
SOURCE: IPP MEDIA
