General News of Friday, 4 January 2008

Source: Panapress

15 Miners Trapped Underground

... Rescue team battles to free
Rescue workers are fighting to free 15 miners of the multi -national mining company, AngloGold Ashanti, at its North Mine in Obuasi in cent r al Ghana.

Several miners were trapped when an attempt by thieves to steal electrical cable s started a fire that destroyed a conveyor belt at the company's Engineering dep a rtment.

"There were 22 miners trapped but seven have been rescued," an official told rep orters. He added that efforts were being made to get the miners to use another s h aft.

Initial reports said about 500 miners were trapped but Ernest Abankroh, Country Manager of AngloGold Ashanti, denied the rumours.

AngloGold Ashanti Limited is a global gold mining company with mines on four con tinents. It was formed in 2004 by the merger of Anglogold of South Africa and As h anti Goldfields Corporation of Ghana.

AngloGold Ashanti Limited is listed on the New York, Johannesburg, Ghanaian, Lon don and Australian stock exchanges, as well as the Paris and Brussels bourse.