GOLD
30
MODERN MINING
May 2014
B
ased in Johannesburg, South Af-
rica, DRA has successfully worked
with the leadership team at Asanko
on multiple projects in Africa over
many years and has recently com-
pleted engineering work on Asanko’s Esaase
project. DRA is a well-known and highly re-
spected EPCM contractor, with a strong track
record of successfully building, commissioning
and operating gold plants across Africa. Recent-
ly, DRA has acted as EPCM contractor for Rand-
gold Resources on the 7,2 Mt/a gold processing
facilities and associated infrastructure at the
recently built and commissioned Kibali site in
the DRC (see page 28) and is currently working
as the EPCM contractor for Aureus Mining at
its New Liberty project in Liberia (see page 14).
Peter Breese, President and CEO, said: “The
appointment of DRA as EPCM contractor marks
the initiation of Phase 1 at our flagship proj-
ect, the Asanko gold mine, which will form the
foundation of our vision to become a mid-tier
gold producer. My team and I have worked
extensively with DRA for many years and
together we have successfully built and com-
missioned mines in Africa that have all been
delivered on time and on budget. It is this track
record that gives us confidence that we will be
able to deliver first gold in Q1 2016.
“Work is progressing well on all other fronts
and the Board is targeting to make an invest-
ment decision mid-year. We are fully
funded for Phase 1 with US$255 million
cash and we are making good progress
with Red Kite to modify the security pro-
visions and loan documentation for our
existing agreements. We expect to have
these revisions completed in Q2 2014.”
Breese is well-known in Southern
African mining circles. Some years back
he was COO of LionOre, which controlled
Tati Nickel. When LionOre was acquired
by Norilsk, he became Chief Executive of
Norilsk International. More recently, he
served as CEO of Mantra Resources until
it was acquired by ARMZ. Mantra’s pri-
mary asset was the Mkuju River uranium
project in Tanzania. Breese’s long-time
colleague, Colin Steyn, is Chairman of
Asanko Gold. Steyn was CEO of LionOre
and, in an earlier phase of his career,
DRA
appointed as EPCM
contractor for
Asanko
Peter Breese, President and CEO of Asanko Gold.
Asanko Gold employees on
site in the project area.
Asanko Gold Inc, listed on the TSX and NYSE, has appointed
DRA as the Engineering, Procurement, Construction
and Management (EPCM) contractor for the design and
construction of Phase 1 of the Asanko gold mine project
in Ghana, following a competitive bidding process. The
Asanko project represents a merging of the Esaase and
Obotan projects into a single development asset.
