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Heavy Rainfall Results in Localized Inundation Along the Awonsu Stream Near the Ahafo Mine

AHAFO, July 13, 2010 - During the early morning of Friday, 9th July, 2010, heavy rains occurred near the community of Ntotroso and the Ahafo Mine in the Brong Ahafo Region.  

The flow of water from the storm entered one of the Ahafo Mine's water detention basins (environmental control dams), which are used to settle soil material suspended in rainwater for sediment control purposes, and did not contain any chemicals or processing waters from the mine processing facilities. 

Due to the magnitude of the rainfall, the basin filled and rainwater flowed into the stream channel below the basin on Friday afternoon.  The water detention basin, designed to overflow during heavy rainfall events, functioned as designed. The storm measured approximately 80 mm of rain between the hours of 2:00-5:45am. 

The Ahafo Mine notified the Brong Ahafo Region regulatory authorities including the Regional Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minerals Commission on Friday, 9th July in the afternoon when rain water levels exceeded the capacity of the water detention basin.  Rainfall has since stopped and rainwater is no longer flowing out of the structure.

Regulatory authorities from the Regional EPA in Sunyani have since inspected farms along the Awonsu Stream floodplain downstream from the water detention basin.  The inundation was caused by the heavy rainfall, common at this time of year, and resulted in farms and cocoa trees being inundated by the storm.  Permanent damage to crops is not expected, though there had been some localized short-term inundation of cocoa trees in low-lying areas.

The Ahafo Mine continues to collaborate with authorities to monitor rainfall and stream levels in the area.  There have been no reported injuries or fatalities associated with the heavy rain storms.

For further enquiries contact:
Agbeko Azumah
Communication Manager
Newmont Ghana Gold Limited
Ahafo Mine
Cell: 00 233 24 433 6557
Email: agbeko.azumah@newmont.com

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Contacts

Ahafo Contacts

For more information about Newmont Ghana or our Ahafo operation, please contact:

Newmont Ghana Gold Limited
C825/26 Lagos Avenue
East Legon
PMB Airport
Accra, Ghana
Phone +233 (0)21 7011852
ghana.communications@newmont.com