AngloGold Ashanti has retrieved the body of a miner who was trapped together with others in an underground mining pit on May 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The body wAnas retrieved on Saturday, May 29, 2021, but the company did not provide further details about the deceased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is with great sadness that AngloGold Ashanti reports that the miner, missing after the geotechnical event at the Obuasi mine on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, has unfortunately passed away. On Saturday, May 29, his body was discovered by mine rescue team,\u201d AngloGold Ashanti said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company had said that a crew from an underground mining contractor was working, tensioning brow cable bolts when the collapse, described in the mining industry as \u2018fall of ground\u2019, occurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company also mentioned that a thorough investigation into the incident had been initiated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the missing miner has been found, it added that mining activities remains suspended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs previously announced, underground mining activities were voluntarily suspended at the time of the incident and will remain so pending an in-depth area-by-area assessment of the mine design, mine schedule, and ground management plans, before progressively releasing mining areas for a phased resumption in production.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The underground mining pit is part of the concession of Anglogold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is fall of ground?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fall of ground is globally considered a major hazard in underground mines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is a situation whereby the roof or rib (shoulders) of an excavation collapses or falls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fall of ground is mainly characterised by several severe consequences, of which fatal injury is considered the worst. It generates various degrees of injuries and often causes the absence of personnel from active duties at the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lack of caution or failure to comply with standard operating procedures (SOP), rules, good practices, or codes are some major causes of ground fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other reasons include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u27a2 Adverse geological conditions<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u27a2 Seismic activity<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u27a2 Inappropriate ground support design<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u27a2 Uncontrolled ground vibration from overcharging blast holes<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u27a2 Installation of inferior ground support materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u27a2 Excessive water pressure<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u27a2 Erosion of weak (fault) zones<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u27a2 Rock mass weathering<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AngloGold Targets Improvement In Safety<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AngloGold Ashanti set new objectives towards efficiency and safety after posting impressive returns with increased dividends for investors for the first quarter of 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AngloGold Ashanti recorded six fatalities in 2020, four at Mponeng in South Africa and two at Obuasi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLast week, on 16 February, we tragically lost another of our colleagues at our Serra Grande Mine in Brazil. We continue to invest considerable resources in understanding the root causes of all accidents \u2013 including high potential incidents or \u2018near misses \u2013 in order to prevent reoccurrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis year, we expect to implement an updated safety strategy across our business, with particular focus on the critical controls needed to eliminate what we call \u2018high consequence, low frequency\u2019 events,\u201d the firm noted in its report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Increase in profits and dividends<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AngloGold Ashanti reported a fivefold increase in its full-year dividend payment for 2020, bringing huge returns to investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The multinational gold firm also added 6 million ounces of new Ore Reserve on a gross basis, as it chartered a return to growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company declared a full-year dividend of approximately 48 US cents per share compared to a dividend of 9 US cents per share in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Source: mynewsghana.net<\/p>\n\n\n\n