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Interim/Old TSF, Ghana
At 10 April 2024
Coordinates: Lat. 5.248704°, Long. -2.053744°
Guidance Note
Refer to our guidance note.
Description and Lifecycle Design
Between 1992 and 2000, Iduapriem in Ghana used the Old Tailings Storage Facility (OTSF) for tailings deposition. The OTSF comprises a side-hill impoundment with tailings material contained behind impoundment walls formed from mine waste material. The Interim Tailing Storage Facility (ITSF) was built as a waste rock impoundment in the pool area of the OTSF and was in use from April 2010 to May 2011. The old and interim TSF (IOTSF) was closed and rehabilitated following decommissioning.
The OTSF surface is now a secondary forest with cropping on the basin demonstrating successful post-closure land use. AngloGold Ashanti has an internal corporate tailings management team including an accountable executive. The Group has appointed an internal Responsible Tailings Facility Engineer (RTFE), an external Engineer of Record (EoR) and an Independent Tailings Review Board (ITRB) at this facility to oversee and govern the design, construction, operations, maintenance and surveillance of the facility.
Interim/Old TSF General Information
| Period of Operation | Old TSF: 1992 – 2000 Interim TSF: 2010 – 2011 |
| Construction Method | Upstream with mine waste material |
| Current Deposition Method | Single cell, rotational sub-aerial spigot deposition |
| Target Annual Production Rate | Decommissioned |
| Current Tailings Volume / Tonnage | 3.4 Mm3 / 4.5 Mt |
| Maximum Height | 21m |
| Outer Wall Profile | 1V:3H overall |
Consequence Classification
| GISTM Consequence Classification | Very High |
Risk Assessment
AngloGold Ashanti’s comprehensive risk management plan aims to implement designs and controls in a way that risks are eliminated risks and where any risks remain, these are mitigated so that the residual risk is a As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP).
Risks are considered in the design stages with mitigation measures incorporated into the design features and operational procedures. Risks are also identified and mitigated through numerous layers of reviews and inspections with follow up actions and recommendations developed to mitigate identified risks. A formal stand-alone risk assessment separate to these processes has not yet been undertaken for the facility and is planned for 2025. The risk assessment will be conducted with a multi-disciplinary team and in collaboration with the Engineer of Record (EoR) in line with accepted best practices.
Impact Assessment
The impact of a potential flow failure has been assessed, taking into consideration the impact to human health and life, the environment, infrastructure and the economy, as well as social and cultural consequences.
These potential impacts have been used to inform the TSF Classification, the risk assessment consequence definition and the mitigation measures to be implemented.
Modelling of a potential failure indicates that failure of the east wall could impact the processing plant area and associated mine infrastructure.
Performance Reviews
AngloGold Ashanti has a comprehensive Tailings Review System which incorporates reviews from multiple levels and internal and external parties. All AngloGold Ashanti TSFs are subject to the following reviews:
- EoR inspections – Typically quarterly and annual performance reviews
- ITRB review – Annually
- AngloGold Ashanti corporate review – Annually
- Independent 3rd Party Regulatory Review – Not undertaken on closed facility.
- Dam Safety Review (DSR) – Typically every five years
| Reviews | Most Recent Review | Next Planned Review |
|---|---|---|
| EoR | Dec 2023 | Q1 2024 |
| ITRB | July 2023 | Q3 2024 |
| DSR | NA | 2027 |
AngloGold Ashanti has adopted the following ranking system for independent reviews: Priority 1 actions are classified as a material finding.
Priority 1 – A dam safety issue considered immediately dangerous to life, health or the environment, or presents a significant risk of regulatory enforcement.
Priority 2 – If not corrected, a concern that could result in a dam safety issue leading to injury, health impact or discontinuity of operations.
Priority 3 – Single occurrence of a deficiency or non-conformance that alone would not be expected to result in dam safety issues, discontinuity of operations or regulatory intervention.
Priority 4 – A recommendation based on good practice, improvement or risk reduction.
No material findings (Priority 1) have been identified for the IOTSF in the most recent reviews.
Environmental and Social
Environment and Social monitoring programmes form part of AngloGold Ashanti’s Health, Safety, Environment (ISO14001) and Social Communities (HSEC) management systems, which act to fulfill the environmental social management system requirements under the GISTM. These environment and social monitoring programmes are comprehensively reviewed, and mitigation measures implemented as and where required. Further information on of our environment and social monitoring programmes, and performance results can be found in AngloGold Ashanti’s Sustainability Reports.
There is potential for ground water seepage from TSFs and ground water conditions around all our TSFs are regularly monitored. Where groundwater impact plumes exist, their migration is modelled and managed, as necessary to avoid interaction(s) with potential receptors.
No material findings were made in relation to the TSF in 2023.
An easily accessible and effective grievance mechanism has been implemented so that any formal complaints can be submitted by stakeholders and resolved.
Emergency Response and Preparedness
The mine has developed an emergency management plan which identifies potential events and incidents, defines those personnel responsible for implementation of the response, and describes procedures for notification, communication, and escalation of the emergency response.
The emergency preparedness and response planning specific to modelled potential failure scenarios of the IOTSF is under way and we are targeting end 2025 to have these formally developed.
Financial Capacity
AngloGold Ashanti confirms it has adequate financial capacity to cover the estimated costs of planned closure, early closure, reclamation and post-closure monitoring and maintenance of the I/OTSF and its appurtenant structures.
Guidance Note
This document provides the information required under Requirement 15.1.B of the GISTM.
This document should be read in conjunction with the information relating to AngloGold Ashanti’s tailings management practices that is available on the AngloGold Ashanti website, as well as the risk factors and other disclosures in AngloGold Ashanti’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended 31 December 2023 to be filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) (the “Form 20-F”).
Certain statements contained in this document, other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, those concerning the economic outlook for the gold mining industry, expectations regarding gold prices, production, total cash costs, all-in sustaining costs, all-in costs, cost savings and other operating results, return on equity, productivity improvements, growth prospects and outlook of AngloGold Ashanti’s operations, individually or in the aggregate, including the achievement of project milestones, commencement and completion of commercial operations of certain of AngloGold Ashanti’s exploration and production projects and the completion of acquisitions, dispositions or joint venture transactions, AngloGold Ashanti’s liquidity and capital resources and capital expenditures, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the outcome and consequences of any potential or pending litigation or regulatory proceedings or environmental, health and safety issues, are forward-looking statements regarding AngloGold Ashanti’s financial reports, operations, economic performance and financial condition.
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These forward-looking statements or forecasts involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause AngloGold Ashanti’s actual results, performance, actions or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance, actions or achievements expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. Although AngloGold Ashanti believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and forecasts are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Accordingly, results, performance, actions or achievements could differ materially from those set out in the forward-looking statements as a result of, among other factors, changes in economic, social, political and market conditions, including related to inflation or international conflicts, the success of business and operating initiatives, changes in the regulatory environment and other government actions, including environmental approvals, fluctuations in gold prices and exchange rates, the outcome of pending or future litigation proceedings, any supply chain disruptions, any public health crises, pandemics or epidemics (including the COVID-19 pandemic), the failure to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting or effective disclosure controls and procedures, the inability to remediate one or more material weaknesses, or the discovery of additional material weaknesses, in the AngloGold Ashanti’s internal control over financial reporting, and other business and operational risks and challenges and other factors, including mining accidents. For a discussion of such risk factors, refer to “Item 3D: Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Form 20-F. These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause AngloGold Ashanti’s actual results, performance, actions or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could also have material adverse effects on AngloGold Ashanti’s future results, performance, actions or achievements. Consequently, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
AngloGold Ashanti undertakes no obligation to update publicly or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except to the extent required by applicable law. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to AngloGold Ashanti or any person acting on its behalf are qualified by the cautionary statements herein.