Veolia to optimize, operate and maintain the water treatment plant of AngloGold Ashanti’s open pit gold mine in Ghana

AngloGold Ashanti, one of the largest companies in the gold mining industry, has chosen Veolia to optimize, operate and maintain the water treatment plant of its open pit gold mine of Iduapriem in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of the Western-Region of Ghana.

PARIS, 5-12-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — This contract confirms Veolia’s leading expertise in the treatment of water used in the mining industry and the company’s capacity to attract new clients in its key fields of development.

Veolia, through its subsidiary Veolia Ghana Limited, will operate and maintain, over the next two years, the existing water treatment facility at Iduapriem, since water is key in the mining industry and used within a broad range of activities including mineral processing, dust suppression, slurry transport and employee needs. Veolia will provide the best management and operational expertise to ensure proper water treatment and discharge.

“Veolia’s global presence in mining and strong commitment with both the mining industry and Africa has given AngloGold Ashanti the confidence to outsource its water management to Veolia”, explains Patrice Fonlladosa, Executive Vice President Africa and Middle East for Veolia. “This contract confirms the added-value solutions and expertise that our Group provides to its mining clients so that their processes can comply with the highest standards, in particular the environment while improving the efficiency of their operations.”

Iduapriem Mine is located in the Western Region of Ghana. It is an open-pit gold mine with an annual average gold production of about 220, 000 ounces and a recovery factor of about 95.8%. It faces a climate with extreme seasonal variations in temperature or rainfall and the alternation of dry and wet seasons. When seasonal patterns provide very high rainfall for only a few months, water must be managed cautiously to avoid flooding of operations, that could lead to water contamination and potential health and safety issues. Moreover, gold extraction in particular requires the use of cyanide, a hazardous material used to dissolve and separate gold from ore. Veolia will care for the proper operation and maintenance of the treatment plant to ensure that water resource is managed adequately in an environmentally-friendly manner.

Headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, AngloGold Ashanti is one of the largest operators in the gold mining industry. It has 20 gold mining operations in 10 countries, as well as several exploration programmes in both the established and new gold producing regions of the world. AngloGold Ashanti produced 4.1Moz of gold in 2013, generating $5.5bn in gold income, utilising $1.62bn capital expenditure. AngloGold Ashanti has an attributable Ore Reserve of 67.9Moz of gold and an attributable Mineral Resource of 233.0Moz.

Veolia group is the global leader in optimized resource management. With over 187,000 employees* worldwide, the Group designs and provides water, waste and energy management solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries. Through its three complementary business activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, preserve available resources, and to replenish them.

In 2013, Veolia group supplied 94 million people with drinking water and 62 million people with wastewater service, produced 54 million megawatt hours of energy and converted 38 million metric tons of waste into new materials and energy. Veolia Environnement (listed on Paris Euronext: VIE and NYSE: VE) recorded consolidated revenue of €23.4 billion* in 2013.

www.veolia.com (*) 2013 pro-forma unaudited figures, including Dalkia International (100%) and excluding Dalkia France. Excluding Transdev employees and revenue currently under divestment
Contacts

Veolia Group Media Relations
Laurent Obadia – Sandrine Guendoul
Stéphane Galfré
Tel.+ 33 1 71 75 12 52 – sandrine.guendoul@veolia.com

Veolia Africa & Middle East Media Relations
Hélène Toury
+971 55 70703159 – helene.toury@veolia.com

Analysts & Investor Relations
Ronald Wasylec – Ariane de Lamaze
Tel. + 33 1 71 75 12 23 / 06 00
Terri Anne Powers (USA)
Tel. + 1 312 552 2890

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Veolia to optimize, operate and maintain the water treatment plant of AngloGold Ashanti’s open pit gold mine in Ghana