Anglo Gold Ashanti - Sunrise Dam Gold Mine
| Site | Sunrise Dam Gold Mine |
| Location | Goldfields WA, Australia |
| System | 3 instrument |
| Commissioned | 2000 |
The Sunrise Dam gold mine lies on the eastern shore of Lake Carey in the northern goldfields of Western Australia, some 770km north-east of Perth, 220km north/north-east of Kalgoorlie and 55km south of Laverton. It is 100% owned by AngloGold Ashanti.
Formerly just an open cut mine, the operation comprises of both a large open pit and an underground mine. Each commenced operations in 1997 and 2003 respectively. The mine achieved record production of 600,000 oz for 2007, largely due to the GQ zone in the open pit. Just under 80,000 oz was sourced from the underground mine.
"AngloGold says that [conversion to LNG] will lead to drastically reduced energy costs as well as reduced greenhouse emissions."
The conversion of the mine’s diesel power station to liquefied natural gas (LNG) went according to plan in 2007 and the new LNG facility will start operating in the second quarter of 2008. AngloGold says that this will lead to drastically reduced energy costs as well as reduced greenhouse emissions.
Capital expenditure for the year amounted to A$35m (US $30m), and was spent mostly on the underground operation. Major items of expenditure included capitalised underground development in the Cosmo lode and the Sunrise Shear Zone decline, as well as costs relating to the north wall cutback and the expansion of the village. Some 360 people are employed at the mine, 255 of whom are contractors.
