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Mine planning encompasses the entire life cycle of a mine and includes environmental rehabilitation and responsible mine closure.
We aim to mitigate environmental impacts throughout a mine’s life cycle, and we work in partnership with communities, governments and other stakeholders to create vibrant and resilient economies that thrive long after mine closure.
The Mine Closure Planning Standard informs our holistic approach by considering the environmental, social and economic aspects of mine closure in consultation with stakeholders.
Site-specific closure plans are developed by each of our sites using a risk-based process to identify closure priorities and where we can, we rehabilitate concurrently with mining and processing operations.
All our operations have temporary closure plans (care and maintenance plans) in place for sudden suspension of operations due to issues such as declining commodity prices, rising costs, government policy changes or seismic events. We have also implemented a variety of financial instruments/assurance, including accounting provisions, escrow accounts and bank/insurance guarantees for mine closure that comply with the legislative frameworks of the countries where we operate.
We integrate mine closure planning throughout the mine life cycle
Exploration phase
Adopt and comply with the provisions of this standard as appropriate to ensure cessation and closure of exploration activities in a manner that meets the intent of the standard.
Project phase
Develop closure plans and cost estimates in line with the requirements for major projects.
Operational phase
Develop and update a mine closure plan and costs estimates (including social transition plan and its implementation) with increasing levels of detail and confidence over the operational phase as part of horizon planning and integrated planning.
Closure period
Implement the final mine closure plan (including final components of social transition plan) from cessation of operations during which decommissioning, dismantling and rehabilitation occurs until the point in time where management of the site is largely limited to monitoring and maintenance.
Post-closure monitoring:
Between closure and relinquishment, the activities tend to be limited to monitoring, some maintenance where applicable and other complimentary activities (like long-term or possibly in-perpetuity water treatment) to reach physical and chemical stability. This may also include monitoring and evaluation of the social transition plan.
Relinquishment:
Obtain formal approval by the relevant regulating authorities indicating that the closure completion criteria for the mine have been met to the satisfaction of the authorities and ownership and residual liability for the land may now be accepted by the next land user.
Policies and standards
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Group Standard: Closure Planning
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Group Policy: Operations and Mineral Resource Development
For further information, refer to the 2025 Sustainability Report: Responsible rehabilitation and mine closure planning
Performance in 2025
Rehabilitation liabilities per region ($m)
Total amount of land disturbed and rehabilitated (ha)
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Obuasi Mine’s Closure Consultative Committee
Learn more: Obuasi Mine’s Closure Consultative CommitteeThe key purpose of the Closure Consultative Committee (CCC) is to track the implementation of the mine’s reclamation plan, ensuring that the completion criteria contained in RSA are met.
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Successful trial farm at Old Tailings Storage Facility at Iduapriem
Learn more: Successful trial farm at Old Tailings Storage Facility at IduapriemThe development and execution of a closure plan is intrinsic in the planning and during the operation of any AngloGold Ashanti project. Planning for closure is part of a wider development plan and until approval has been given by the relevant authorities, progress on any new operation cannot begin.