Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 2035 |
Source:
p. 373
Company | Interest | Ownership |
Government of Ghana
|
10 %
|
Indirect
|
Gold Fields Ltd.
|
90 %
|
Indirect
|
Gold Fields Ghana Ltd (“GFG”) owns 100% interest in the Tarkwa operation in Ghana. Gold Fields Limited owns 90% interest in Gold Fields Ghana Limited and the remain 10% is held by the government of Ghana, as required under the mining law of Ghana.
Contractors
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Deposit Type
- Paleoplacer
- Conglomerate hosted
Summary:
Gold mineralisation at Tarkwa is hosted by Proterozoic Tarkwaian metasediments, which unconformity overlie a Birimian greenstone belt sequence. Gold mineralisation is concentrated in conglomerate reefs and has some similarities to deposits in the Witwatersrand Basin in South Africa. The deposit comprises a succession of stacked, tabular palaeoplacer units consisting of quartz pebble conglomerates. Approximately 10 such separate economic units occur in the concession area within a sedimentary package ranging from 40 metres to 110 metres in thickness. Low-grade to barren quartzite units are interlayered between the separate reef units. The Tarkwaian belt has been subject to moderate folding and at least five episodes of deformation have been recognised.
Mainly tabular auriferous conglomerates are exploited, similar to those mined in the Witwatersrand Basin of South Africa, from four open pits, namely Pepe-Mantraim, Teberebie, Akontansi and Kottraverchy. During 2022, Tarkwa will finish mining the only hydrothermal style mineralisation at the Kobada open pit.
The local ore body geology is dominated by the Banket series, which can be further subdivided into a
footwall and hangingwall barren quartzite, separated by a sequence of mineralised conglomerates and
pebbly quartzites.
The stratigraphy of the individual quartzite units is well-established with auriferous reefs interbedded with barren immature quartzites. The units thicken to the west and current sedimentological param ........

Summary:
Four large open pits currently exploit the stacked narrow auriferous conglomerates. Tarkwa has an ore
stockpile and ‘spent ore’ on the south heap leach (SHL) pad included in Mineral Resources and Mineral
Reserves.
Using open-pit, conventional drill and blast with truck and shovel methods, mining operations are carried out using contractor mining. Mining occurs from several pits, which haul to the processing facility. Blast restrictions are applied to the Teberebie Cut 4 pit only. Slope stability has been supported by effective wall monitoring and blasting practices.
In Q3 2021, Gold Fields initiated a scoping study to evaluate LoM expansion opportunities at Tarkwa. The study is investigating the potential to reduce unit mining costs through increased equipment size and alternative mining methods, with the ultimate objective of expanding the economic pit’s footprint and increasing the Mineral Reserve and life at Tarkwa. The study is focused on the following key elements:
• Mining: Evaluation of pit expansion potential with reduced unit mining costs
• Tailings: Storage alternatives, logistics and costs to enable additional ore processing
• Infrastructure: Identification of mining and processing infrastructure potentially impacted by Akontansi pit expansions and estimation of relocation/replacement costs
• Communities: Identification of communities potentially impacted by pit or tailings expansions and assessment of best possible relocation options and costs ........

Source:

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Source:
Summary:

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Production:
Commodity | Units | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Gold
|
koz
| ...... ^ | ......  | ......  | ......  | 525 | 566 | 568 |
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.
^ Guidance / Forecast.
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Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Total tonnes mined
| ......  | ......  | 92,523 kt | 89,647 kt | 103,788 kt | 101,154 kt |
Ore tonnes mined
| ......  | ......  | 15,029 kt | 14,176 kt | 16,703 kt | 14,551 kt |
Waste
| ......  | ......  | 77,494 kt | 75,471 kt | 87,085 kt | 86,603 kt |
Stripping / waste ratio
| ......  | ......  | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 6.4 |
Plant annual capacity
| ......  | ......  | 13.5 Mt | 13.5 Mt | 13.5 Mt | 13.5 Mt |
Tonnes processed
| ......  | ......  | 13,749 kt | 13,791 kt | 13,527 kt | 13,608 kt |
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Reserves at December 31, 2021:
Open pit Mineral Reserves grade = 1.24g/t (excluding surface stockpiles).
Mineral Resources cut-off for mill feed 0.33 g/t.
Mineral Reserves cut-off for mill feed 0.39 g/t.
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
Stockpiles
|
10,387 kt
|
Gold
|
0.86 g/t
|
286 koz
|
Proven
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
40,205 kt
|
Gold
|
1.25 g/t
|
1,614 koz
|
Proven
|
Total
|
50,591 kt
|
Gold
|
1.17 g/t
|
1,900 koz
|
Probable
|
Leach Pad
|
59,960 kt
|
Gold
|
0.4 g/t
|
771 koz
|
Probable
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
83,055 kt
|
Gold
|
1.17 g/t
|
3,133 koz
|
Probable
|
Total
|
143,015 kt
|
Gold
|
0.85 g/t
|
3,904 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
Leach Pad
|
59,960 kt
|
Gold
|
0.4 g/t
|
771 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
Stockpiles
|
10,387 kt
|
Gold
|
0.86 g/t
|
286 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
123,259 kt
|
Gold
|
1.2 g/t
|
4,747 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
Total
|
193,607 kt
|
Gold
|
0.93 g/t
|
5,804 koz
|
Measured
|
Stockpiles
|
10,475 kt
|
Gold
|
0.85 g/t
|
288 koz
|
Measured
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
47,968 kt
|
Gold
|
1.44 g/t
|
2,224 koz
|
Measured
|
Total
|
58,443 kt
|
Gold
|
1.34 g/t
|
2,512 koz
|
Indicated
|
Leach Pad
|
59,960 kt
|
Gold
|
0.4 g/t
|
771 koz
|
Indicated
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
141,226 kt
|
Gold
|
1.35 g/t
|
6,135 koz
|
Indicated
|
Total
|
201,187 kt
|
Gold
|
1.07 g/t
|
6,907 koz
|
Inferred
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
7,671 kt
|
Gold
|
1.45 g/t
|
358 koz
|
Total Resource
|
Leach Pad
|
59,960 kt
|
Gold
|
0.4 g/t
|
771 koz
|
Total Resource
|
Stockpiles
|
10,475 kt
|
Gold
|
0.85 g/t
|
288 koz
|
Total Resource
|
In-Situ (OP)
|
196,866 kt
|
Gold
|
1.38 g/t
|
8,717 koz
|
Total Resource
|
Total
|
267,301 kt
|
Gold
|
1.14 g/t
|
9,776 koz
|
HME Type | Model | Quantity | Leased or Contractor | Ref. Date |
Drill
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
|
Jul 28, 2020
|
Excavator
|
.......................
|
|
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
Truck (haul)
|
.......................
|
|
|
Dec 31, 2021
|
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