Golden Pride Gold Mine
Encyclopedia
The Golden Pride Gold Mine is an open pit
gold
mine
located in Nzega
district of the Tabora Region
of Tanzania
. It is operated by Australia
n mining company Resolute Mining Limited.
Golden Pride was the first modern commercial gold mining project developed in Tanzania since the country's formation in 1964. From its opening to 2010, the mine has produced 1.68 million ounces of gold.
The mine also lents its name to the Golden Pride Children's Choir, which hails from local villages around the mine and has toured internationally.
colonial period, beginning with gold discoveries near Lake Victoria
in 1894. The first gold mine in what was then Tanganyika
, the Sekenke Mine, began operation in 1909, and gold mining in Tanzania experienced a boom between 1930 and World War II
. By 1967, gold production in the country had dropped to insignificance but was revived in the mid-1970s, when the gold price rose once more. In the late 1990s, foreign mining companies started investing in the exploration and development of gold deposits in Tanzania, leading to the opening of a number of new mines.
The history of the Golden Pride project goes back to 1989 when Samax Resources was granted a prospecting license. In 1994, Samax entered a joint venture with BHP
to develop the mine, but, in 1996, BHP decided not to progress with the project. Resolute then took over from BHP and subsequently acquired Samax's interests, too. In September 1997, Resolute completed a feasibility study for the project.
Construction of the mine was completed in November 1998, for a cost of US$48 million. The mine was opened on 7 February 1999 by the President of Tanzania
, Benjamin Mkapa
, with an initial mine life of seven years but this was later extended.
The mine was upgraded in 2002 from a through put of 1.6 million tonnes to 2.6 million, at a cost of US$10.6 million.
The mine was the scene of a robbery in April 2009, when 3,500 ounces of gold were stolen by armed robbers.
Open-pit mining
Open-pit mining or opencast mining refers to a method of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow....
gold
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
located in Nzega
Nzega
Nzega is one of the six districts of the Tabora Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the north and west by the Shinyanga Region, to the south and southwest by the Uyui District and to the east by the Igunga District....
district of the Tabora Region
Tabora Region
Tabora Region is one of the regions of Tanzania. Its capital is Tabora town. Tabora region is famous for its distinguishable honey and timber activities....
of Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. It is operated by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n mining company Resolute Mining Limited.
Golden Pride was the first modern commercial gold mining project developed in Tanzania since the country's formation in 1964. From its opening to 2010, the mine has produced 1.68 million ounces of gold.
The mine also lents its name to the Golden Pride Children's Choir, which hails from local villages around the mine and has toured internationally.
History
Gold mining in Tanzania in modern times dates back to the GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
colonial period, beginning with gold discoveries near Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
in 1894. The first gold mine in what was then Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
, the Sekenke Mine, began operation in 1909, and gold mining in Tanzania experienced a boom between 1930 and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. By 1967, gold production in the country had dropped to insignificance but was revived in the mid-1970s, when the gold price rose once more. In the late 1990s, foreign mining companies started investing in the exploration and development of gold deposits in Tanzania, leading to the opening of a number of new mines.
The history of the Golden Pride project goes back to 1989 when Samax Resources was granted a prospecting license. In 1994, Samax entered a joint venture with BHP
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
to develop the mine, but, in 1996, BHP decided not to progress with the project. Resolute then took over from BHP and subsequently acquired Samax's interests, too. In September 1997, Resolute completed a feasibility study for the project.
Construction of the mine was completed in November 1998, for a cost of US$48 million. The mine was opened on 7 February 1999 by the President of Tanzania
President of Tanzania
The President of the United Republic of Tanzania is the head of state and head of government of Tanzania. The president leads the executive branch of the Government of Tanzania and is the commander-in-chief of the Tanzania People's Defence Force....
, Benjamin Mkapa
Benjamin Mkapa
Benjamin William Mkapa was the third President of the United Republic of Tanzania and former Chairman for the Revolutionary State Party .-Biography:...
, with an initial mine life of seven years but this was later extended.
The mine was upgraded in 2002 from a through put of 1.6 million tonnes to 2.6 million, at a cost of US$10.6 million.
The mine was the scene of a robbery in April 2009, when 3,500 ounces of gold were stolen by armed robbers.
Production
Production figures of the recent past were:| Year | Production | Grade | Cost per ounce |
| 2007-08 | 150,224 ounces | US$ United States dollar The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies.... 449 |
|
| 2008-09 | 127,047 ounces | US$ 488 | |
| 2009-10 | 148,675 ounces | US$ 520 |
External links
- Resolute website
- Golden Pride mine (TZA-00046) Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States website