JOHANNESBURG, August 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Further to our statement on 26 July
2012, Gold Fields Limited (Gold Fields) (JSE, NYSE, NASDAQ
Dubai: GFI) is pleased to announce that the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) of Ghana
on 9 August 2012 lifted the temporary
suspension on Tarkwa Gold Mine's (Tarkwa) heap leach
facilities.
Tarkwa reopened both the North and South Heap Leach facilities
on the evening of 9 August 2012 after
they were closed on 16 July 2012 to
comply with an EPA directive that water discharges should be passed
through a water treatment plant to reduce conductivity levels (a
measure of the amount of dissolved salts in discharged water).
Although Gold Fields believes that Tarkwa was complying with the
prescribed conductivity levels in its water discharges, it has
nonetheless commissioned the construction of two water treatment
plants at the heap leach facilities. This is in pursuit of
environmental best practice and in compliance with the directive.
The plants are expected to be operational before the end of
2012.
In the meantime, as agreed with the Ghana Ministry of
Environment, Science & Technology and the EPA, Tarkwa will
continue to dilute and discharge excess water in a controlled
manner while the plants are being built. Tarkwa will also submit
monthly progress reports on the construction of the plants to the
EPA.
The estimated impact on gold production as a result of the
temporary closure is around 15,000 ounces, which is less than 10%
of the mine's quarterly production. Tarkwa's Carbon-in-Leach plant,
which produces about 75% of the gold at the mine, was not
affected.
Notes to editors
About Gold Fields
Gold Fields is one of the world's largest unhedged producers of
gold with attributable annualised production of 3.5 million gold
equivalent ounces from eight operating mines in Australia, Ghana, Peru
and South Africa. Gold Fields also
has an extensive and diverse global growth pipeline with four major
projects in resource development and feasibility, with construction
decisions expected in the next 18 to 24 months. Gold Fields
has total attributable gold equivalent Mineral Reserves of 80.6
million ounces and Mineral Resources of 217 million ounces. Gold
Fields is listed on the JSE Limited (primary listing), the New York
Stock Exchange (NYSE), NASDAQ Dubai Limited, Euronext in
Brussels (NYX) and the Swiss
Exchange (SWX).
Sponsor: J.P. Morgan Equities
Limited
Gold Fields Limited
Reg. 1968/004880/06
150 Helen Road,
Sandown, Sandton,
2196
Postnet Suite 252
Private Bag X30500
Houghton, 2041
South Africa
Tel +27-11-562-9700
Fax +27-11-562-9838
http://www.goldfields.co.za
Investor Enquiries
Willie Jacobsz
Tel +27-11-562-9775
Mobile +27-82-971-9238 (SA)
Mobile +1-857-241-7127 (USA)
email Willie.Jacobsz@
goldfields.co.za
Media Enquiries
Sven Lunsche
Tel +27-11-562-9763
Mobile +27-83-260-9279
email Sven.Lunsche@
goldfields.co.za
Media Enquiries - Ghana
Sharda Naidoo
Mobile +27-83-560-1769
email Sharda.Naidoo@
goldfields.co.za
SOURCE Gold Fields Limited