Morro Velho

Morro Velho, also called AngloGold Ashanti Brasil Mineração, after its current owner AngloGold Ashanti, is a complex of gold mine located near the city of Nova Lima in the Minas Gerais state of Brazil.

It is one of two mining operations of the company in Brazil, the other being the Serra Grande Gold Mine.

In 2008, the Brazilian operations contributed 8% to the company's overall production.

History

The mines have been in operation since 1835, making it the world's oldest continuously worked mine. Some of the mines' works are over 3,000 meters (9,800 ft) deep underground. Although Morro Velho's main production is gold, silver, arsenic, and other minerals are also extracted at the mining complex.

Despite closing of the Minha Velha and Engenho D'Água mines in 2003 and 2004, gold production has increased over the past three years, with 240,000 ounces (6,800 kilograms) of gold produced in 2004 at an average recovered ore grade of 0.222 ounces per ton (7.62 grams per metric ton). Cash costs of production totaled $133 per ounce, with the mine realizing adjusted operating profit of $45 million.

In 2009, the mine employed close to 3,000 people, 2,250 of those being permanent staff.

Production

Recent production figures of the mine were:

References

External links

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