Iduapriem, Ghana

Overview and locality

Iduapriem, a 137km² concession which includes Ajopa South West, is located in the western region of Ghana, some 70km north of the coastal city of Takoradi and about 10km south-west of Gold Fields’ Tarkwa mine.

Iduapriem is an open-pit mine with two circuits each comprising two-stage milling – a gravity circuit and a carbon-in-leach (CIL) plant. The gravity circuit recovers about 30% of the gold and the remainder is recovered by the 418ktpm capacity CIL plant.

A brief history

• A feasibility study was completed in 1990 and, in October 1991, the then owners, Golden Shamrock Limited, (Golden Shamrock) began construction of a 1.36Mtpa semi-autogenous milling circuit and carbon-in-pulp (CIP) plant.
• Mining began in August 1992 with the first gold pour achieved in September of that year.
• Golden Shamrock was acquired by Ashanti Goldfields Company Limited in 1996.
• In 2000, a portion of the non-operational Teberebie Goldfields Limited company (a subsidiary of Pioneer Goldfields Limited) was purchased, resulting in an increased Mineral Reserve and LOM.
• In 2002, Ashanti upgraded the plant capacity to 4Mtpa and, in 2004, AngloGold merged with Ashanti to become AngloGold Ashanti.
• In 2009, the plant capacity was further expanded to the current 5.2Mtpa.
• In March 2023, a joint venture with Gold Fields was proposed through which Iduapriem would merge with neighbouring Tarkwa mine to potentially create the largest gold mine in Africa.