AngloGold Ashanti (ANG) said on Friday that most workers have started returning to its three West Wits mines.
These workers join their colleagues at the Vaal River operations who returned to work on Monday‚ 22 October and Tuesday‚ 23 October‚ the gold miner said in a statement.
Large numbers of employees at the Mponeng‚ TauTona and Savuka mines returned to work this morning and the focus now is on preparing these operations to ramp up production safely.
The dismissal process announced on 26 October 2012 will continue for those who do not return to work‚ it said.
The unprotected strike started at the Kopanang Mine in the Vaal River region on 20 September and at the remainder of AngloGold Ashanti’s South African mines on 25 September.
About 32‚000oz of gold production was lost each week the six mines were idle.
Further details on the impact of the unprotected strike‚ the settlement and the ramp-up process will be provided along with AngloGold Ashanti’s operating and financial results on 8 November‚ it added.
The miner’s South African operations accounted for approximately 32% of total group production during the first half of the year. Approximately 35‚000 people are employed across AngloGold Ashanti’s SA operations‚ inclusive of contractors and those working on two major capital projects under way at the Moab Khotsong and Mponeng mines.
Under normal operating conditions‚ the Vaal River region typically accounts for about 40% of AngloGold Ashanti’s SA gold production and all of the group’s uranium production. The West Wits accounts for the balance. - I-Net Bridge