Heath Gold Fields’ Prestea-Bogoso Mine has outlined a five-year Phase One strategy, under which the company plans to invest $205 million in underground mine redevelopment.
The company is also poised to establish a sulphide processing plant and targeting an annual production of 285,000 ounces of gold.
According to Heath Gold Fields, its immediate focus is on completing the dewatering of the underground mine by the first quarter of next year.
The process involves pumping out about 10 million litres of water daily, accumulated over years of neglect.
The Managing Director of Heath Gold Fields, Patrick Appiah-Mensah, who disclosed this, mentioned that so far, water levels have been reduced by 75 feet, with refurbishment works nearing completion.
He was speaking at an expanded Community -Mine Consultative Committee meeting and a guided tour of the mines facilities.
It was intended to update the leadership of Heath Gold Fields’ host communities on the progress of the company’s operations.
The programme was also attended by the leadership of various youth groups and religious leaders in Prestea and Bogoso.
Mr. Appiah-Mensah revealed that Heath Goldfields is 90 per cent Ghanaian-owned and 100 per cent Ghanaian-managed.
He said the company is fully committed to sustainable development, adding, “We are here to upgrade the mine and enrich lives through responsible mining.”
He noted, “Re-commissioning of the processing plant and commencement of open-pit operations are on course.”
“By having Ghanaian ownership and Ghanaian management and leadership, we are giving practical meaning to President Mahama’s vision of deepening local content and local participation in the country’s mining sector,” he added.
He appealed to the chiefs and people to partner with the company to raise awareness on the dangers of illegal mining.
He also called for their support to enforce concession boundaries to safeguard lives and assets.
Mr. Appiah-Mensah indicated that Heath Gold Fields would have made far greater progress in developing and upgrading the Bogoso-Prestea Mine if not for a number of court cases challenging the government’s decision to hand over the mine.
According to him, the company spent the first five months of the year battling legal challenges from Blue Gold FGR, which opposed the government’s decision to transfer the mine lease to Heath Gold Fields.
The Managing Director added that, so far, all the cases brought against Heath have been dismissed by the courts.
Meanwhile, the two Divisional Chiefs of Himan-Prestea and Bogoso have expressed their excitement about the rejuvenation of the Bogoso-Prestea Mine by Heath Gold Fields.
Both Nana Nteboah Prah IV, of Himan-Prestea and Nana Akwasi Sompre of Bogoso believe that the mine’s resurgence offers renewed hope of jobs, economic revival, and stability for the people of Prestea and beyond.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Prestea