AngloGold Ashanti Announces Significant Exploration Results at 100% Owned La Colosa
Project in Colombia
Initial La Colosa Inferred Resource: 468.8Mt at 0.86g/t gold totaling 12.9Moz
AngloGold
Ashanti is pleased to announce the completion of the initial JORC-compliant resource estimate for the La Colosa deposit in Colombia.
La Colosa
is the second significant greenfields discovery (Gramalote being the first) in Colombia and was discovered by AngloGold Ashanti’s Colombian greenfields exploration team during 2006. The Project
is 100% owned by AngloGold Ashanti and is located 150km west of Colombia’s capital city, Bogota, in the department of Tolima.
Since discovery,
only 18 months ago, exploration drilling at La Colosa has rapidly defined ‘porphyry style’ mineralization at a grade > 0.3 g/t Au extending over a strike length in excess of 1,500m and
a width of 600m. Additional upside potential, which is considered material, remains untested both along strike to the north and south as well as to the east of the drilled portion of the deposit and
regionally where at least three quality targets require follow-up.
A conceptual
economic study was completed during the quarter and on this basis a JORC-compliant Mineral Resource has been defined. The Inferred Mineral Resource of 12.9Moz is defined at a gold price of $1000/oz and
is summarised in the table below. The table also illustrates the Mineral Resource constrained within an optimized pit shell at gold prices of $700/oz and $800/oz.
Cut-off (g/t) |
Price $ |
Tonnage (Mt) |
Grade (g/t) |
Ounces (Moz) |
0.5 |
700 |
293.4 |
1.03 |
9.7 |
0.4 |
800 |
351.6 |
0.95 |
10.8 |
0.3 |
1,000 |
468.8 |
0.86 |
12.9 |
Included within the pit optimisation
are some 0.5Moz of potentially mineralised material that has not yet been drilled. This material was included in the pit optimization, as it lies at the crest
of the La Colosa Hill and has not yet been drilled due to logistical constraints. There is strong geological evidence that this material is mineralised, and as it has not been included in the Mineral
Resource, it constitutes further near term upside. Drilling at La Colosa is currently suspended pending the issuance of an environmental permit, which is expected to be finalised within the next few
months.
Commenting on the discovery, Mark Cutifani,
AngloGold Ashanti’s CEO said, “We are extremely pleased with exploration results in Colombia. La Colosa represents a major greenfields find, with
further upside to increase its resource potential. Together with Gramalote, this discovery puts us in a strong position to benefit from our land holdings
in Colombia and to continue building on the gold producing fundamentals in Colombia that make these such exciting projects.”
Mr. Cutifani added, “La Colosa’s
resource declaration of 12.9Moz, together with AngloGold Ashanti’s Global Greenfield projects in 2007, means that we have added over 20Moz in new greenfields resources to our portfolio over the
last fifteen months. With these strong exploration results, our next step will be to continue to refine our processes, convert these resources to reserves and then to bring them to economic account."
Background Notes for Editors
The Gramalote project, a 51/49 B2Gold/AGA
joint venture located 230 km northwest of Bogota and 80 km northeast of Medellin in the central Colombia, was the first greenfields discovery made by AngloGold Ashanti in Colombia. For B2Gold to earn into a 51% shareholding, AGA will be free carried until the completion of a feasibility study by June 2010. The recently completed, JORC-compliant resource estimate
published in AngloGold Ashanti’s 2007 fourth quarter exploration summary indicates that Gramalote Ridge contains an initial inferred resource of 57.8 million tonnes (100% basis) with a diluted
grade of 1.14 grams per tonne (g/t) Au for 2.12 million ounces on a 100% basis using 0.5 g/t Au cut-off.
As at 31 December 2007, AngloGold Ashanti
declared mineral resources totaling 207.6Moz, with reserves of 73.1Moz.
Himesh Persotam
Investor Relations
AngloGold Ashanti Limited
Direct Line: +27 11 637 6647
Cell no: +27 82 339 3890
eMail: hpersotam@anglogoldashanti.com
Certain statements made during this communication,
including, without limitation, those concerning the economic outlook for the gold mining industry, expectations regarding gold prices, production, cash costs and other operating results, growth prospects
and the outlook of AngloGold Ashanti’s operations including the completion and commencement of commercial operations of certain of AngloGold Ashanti’s exploration and production projects,
and its liquidity and capital resources and expenditure, contain certain forward-looking statements regarding AngloGold Ashanti’s operations, economic performance and financial condition. Although
AngloGold Ashanti believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Accordingly,
results could differ materially from those set out in the forward-looking statements as a result of, among other factors, changes in economic and market conditions, success of business and operating
initiatives, changes in the regulatory environment and other government actions, fluctuations in gold prices and exchange rates, and business and operational risk management. For a discussion of such
factors, refer to AngloGold Ashanti's annual report for the year ended 31 December 2007, which was distributed to shareholders on 31 March 2008. AngloGold Ashanti undertakes no obligation to update
publicly or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after today’s date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
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