Placer Dome (NYSE: PDG)

Placer Dome is one of the world’s largest and most successful gold mining companies. Based in Vancouver, Canada, the company has interests in 16 mining operations in seven countries and employs more than 13,000 people around the world. The company’s shares trade on the New York, Toronto, Swiss and Australian stock exchanges and Euronext-Paris under the symbol PDG.

In 2003, Placer Dome expanded its presence on the African continent with the acquisition of the North Mara mine in the highly prospective northern region of Tanzania.

North Mara (100% owned): Acquired in mid-2003, this mine in Tanzania is a relatively new facility situated in a largely unexplored and highly prospective gold district. North Mara is surrounded by an extensive package of land, where an aggressive exploration program has added more than one million ounces of reserves since the acquisition. Gold production in 2005 is expected to be approximately 290,000 ounces, a 38% increase over 2004 due to mining operations moving into the higher grade Gokona pit.

On January 20, 2006 Barrick Gold Corporation acquired 81% of shares and gained control of Placer Dome.


Head Office:

Suite 1600 - 1055 Dunsmuir Street
Vancouver BC V7X 1P1
Canada
Phone: +1 604 682 7082 +1 604 682 7082
Toll free: +1 800 565 5815 +1 800 565 5815
Fax: +1 604 682 7092
http://www.barrick.com/

MDN Northern Mining (TSX: MDN)

Corporate Profile

MDN Northern Mining is a Canadian mining company focused on the discovery and development of new gold and base metal deposits that can provide a superior return to our shareholders. We are actively exploring highly prospective areas in Tanzania and Eritrea, East Africa, and in the Province of Quebec, Canada. In 2005 we became gold producers through our participation in the Tulawaka Mine in Tanzania. Our Company is managed by an experienced team and has a strong Board of Directors with well known industry players.

A brief corporate history

NORTHERN MINING Explorations Ltd. ("MDN Northern Mining") is a Canadian mining company incorporated pursuant to the Mining Act (Province of Québec) by the issuance of letters patent dated January 27, 1954, under the name Northern Quebec Explorers Ltd. On September 4, 1987, the Company was continued under Part 1A of the Companies Act (Québec) by the issuance of articles of continuance and its corporate name was changed to Northern Mining Explorations Ltd./Explorations Miničres du Nord Ltée. Pursuant to the reorganization of the Canadian exchanges, all the common shares of the Company were listed and posted without restriction at the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) at the opening on December 6, 1999, under the symbol "MDN".

MDN NORTHERN MINING has a 30% participating interest in the Tulawaka Project in Tanzania, which started commercial production in March 2005 as theTulawaka Gold Mine.

Click here for more information.

DIRECTORS

Carlos H. Bertoni
David A. Fennell
Paul-A. Girard
Serge Savard
Anthony P. Walsh

MANAGEMENT

Carlos H. Bertoni
M. Sc., CEO, P. Geo
Tim Williams
Ph. D., COO
Paul-A. Girard
VP, Investor Relations
Dominique Moreau Treasurer
Treasurer

Contact:

Paul-A. Girard
VP, Investor relations
1010, de la Gauchetičre Ouest
Bureau M-110
Montréal (Québec)
Canada H3B 2N2
Telephone : +1 (514) 866-6500 +1 (514) 866-6500
Fax : +1 (514) 866-3799
Email : info@Xnord.com
Website: www.Xnord.com

Helio Resource Corp (TSX: V HRC)

Helio is a well-financed junior gold exploration company focused on developing the SMP Gold project in Tanzania into a significant gold resource. Helio controls 27 km of the Saza Shear Zone, the main gold bearing structure in the region.

Since June 2006, the Company has drill-tested thirteen targets, eleven of which are hosted by the Saza Shear Zone. All thirteen targets have intersected bedrock-hosted gold mineralisation, the most advanced being the Kenge Target, which has returned up to 21.95m grading 6.92g/t gold (Company press release dated May 23, 2007).

The primary objective of the current 20,000m drill programme is to outline a resource at the 2km long Kenge target, where infill drilling is ongoing, and to demonstrate the potential to significantly increase upon that resource by drill testing newly defined targets, such as Mbenge (39m @2.6g/t Au) and Porcupine (42m @ 2g/t Au).

In addition to the SMP gold project in Tanzania, Helio has a portfolio of earlier stage projects in Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique. As part of its strategic approach to project development, Helio has joint-ventured a total of 17 of its Namibian licences: 9 to Desert Minerals (UK) Ltd. and 8 to TransAfrican Minerals Limited to fund work on these properties. Helio continues to pursue joint venture partners for its other projects in Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique, while advancing the SMP Gold project in Tanzania.

Management Team:

Christopher J. Mackenzie, M.Sc., C. Geol.
Director & COO

Richard D. Williams, M.Sc., P.Geo
Director & CEO

D. Grenville Thomas, P. Eng.
Chairman

Clifford T. Davis, CA
Director

Stephen M. Leahy
Director

Colin Jones, B.Sc., MausIMM
Director

Head Office:

Helio Resource Corporation
Suite 580 -­ 625 Howe Street
Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 2T6
Phone: +1 604 638 8002 +1 604 638 8002
Fax: +1 604 638 8011
e-mail: richard@helioresource.com
irene@helioresource.com

http://www.helioresource.com/s/home.asp

Gallery Gold Limited (ASX: GGN)

Gallery Gold Limited is an emerging gold producer with a 100,000-ounce-per-annum project in production at Botswana, a second project expected to go ahead next year in Tanzania and several important exploration programs in southern and eastern Africa.

Buckreef

The Buckreef Project is located 35 kilometers south west of Ashanti/Anglo's 18 million ounce Geita open pit gold mine in the Lake Victorian Archaean greenstone/granite terrane. The gold mineralisation at Buckreef-Rwamagaza is associated with shear zones or splays off the main shear and usually hosted in intensely altered mafic and/or ultramafic rocks. Similar to other gold deposits around the world, areas of extension and dilational zones appear to host the best zones of mineralisation.

Kitongo

The Kitongo Project includes the Kitongo PL, Mwamazengo PL, Mwamazengo South PL and Ugambilo PL which form a contiguous block of tenements 80 kilometres south of Mwanza.

Gold mineralisation has been identified in three areas with the Main Zone having a measured, indicated and inferred resource of 479,000 ounces @ 1.3 g/t Au. To the north west of the Main Zone a new discovery was made in 2001 at Isegenghe Hill where an inferred resource of 75,000 ounces @ 14.4 g/t Au has been estimated. The third occurrence is at Kitongo Hill.

Primary gold mineralisation at Kitongo has a strong structural control along a north west trending regional corridor and is hosted in a mafic volcanic sequence underlying a series of intermediate to felsic volcaniclastic units and sediments composed of cherts, BIF and phyllites. Drilling indicates the gold is associated with silicification, quartz veining and arsenopyrite within brecciated cherts and tuffs.

Gallery has focused on validating the Kitongo data base in view of the numerous local grids used in the past. The Company is following up several untested gold in soil anomalies defined by Ashanti Gold in 2000 under a joint venture with Spinifex. An IP survey is also due to commence over the main areas of mineralisation to better define the controlling structures.


John T Shaw BSc, FAusIMM, MCIM, FAICD, SME
Chairman

Hamish J Bohannan B(Eng)Sc (Hons), M(Eng)Sc, MBA,FAusIMM, CEng
Managing Director

Michael P Curnow
Non-executive Director

Craig R Munro FCPA, FAusIMM, FAICD
Non-executive Director

P Buck BA Earth Sciences, MSc (Geology)
Non-executive Director


East Africa Mines Ltd.
Plot No 103W Capri Point
Mwanza Tanzania
Postal Address:
PO BOx 1678
Mwanza Tanzania
Telephone: +255 28 250 2236 +255 28 250 2236
Fax: +255 28 250 0298
Email: eastaf@eastafricamines.com

AngloGold Ashanti Limited (NYSE: AU)

In April 2004, AngloGold Limited and Ashanti Goldfields Limited merged to form AngloGold Ashanti Limited, a global gold company with 20 operations on four continents, a substantial project pipeline and an extensive, worldwide exploration program. The new company is listed on the New York, Johannesburg, Ghanaian, London and Australian stock exchanges, as well as the Paris and Brussels bourses.

AngloGold Ashanti is committed to continuously improving the performance of current assets through cost management and increased labor productivity, as well as seeking out value-adding growth opportunities through exploration and a disciplined acquisition strategy. The company is focused on generating competitive financial returns and on rewarding shareholders with semi-annual dividends.

For more information on AngloGold Ashanti projects in Tanzania (Geita), please click here.

MR R M GODSELL (52)

BA, MA
Chief Executive Officer

MR S VENKATAKRISHNAN (VENKAT) (40)

B.Com, A.C.A (ICAI)
Finance Director

MR R CARVALHO SILVA (53)

BACC, BCORP ADMIN
Chief Operating Officer, Americas and Australia

MR R N DUFFY (42)

BCOM, MBA
Business Development

MR N F NICOLAU (46)

B Tech (Min, Eng); MBA
Chief Operating Officer - Africa

MR K H WILLIAMS (57)

BA (Hons)
Marketing Director

Head Office:
11 DIAGONAL STREET
JOHANNESBURG
SOUTH AFRICA, 2001
Phone: +27 11 637-6000 +27 11 637-6000
Fax: +27 11 637 6624

http://www.anglogold.com/default.htm

Barrick Gold Corp (TSX: ABX)

Barrick is a leading international gold mining company, with a portfolio of operating mines and development projects located in the United States, Canada, Australia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Tanzania. In 2004, the Company’s 12 operating mines produced about 5 million ounces of gold, at a cash cost of $212 per ounce, the lowest cash cost of all senior producers. The Company increased its reserves by over 3 million ounces during 2004, with gold mineral reserves of 89 million ounces as at December 31. For 2005, the Company expects gold production to be 5.4 to 5.5 million ounces at an average total cash cost of about $225 per ounce.

The Company has successfully completed the construction of the Tulawaka, Lagunas Norte and Veladero mines in 2005, and it has three development projects at various stages in the pipeline. These new mines and projects are expected to add significant amounts of production at low cash costs to achieve the Company’s aggressive growth profile by 2007. This robust pipeline of development projects is due to the Company’s ongoing commitment to exploration, even in times of lower gold prices. Barrick is also actively exploring approximately 100 projects, in 16 countries.

Barrick has the gold mining industry’s strongest balance sheet, which positions the Company to take prompt advantage of attractive development, exploration and acquisition opportunities as they arise.

Barrick shares are traded on the Toronto, New York, London and Swiss Stock Exchanges, and the Euronext-Paris.

During 2004, Barrick re-activated an exploration-drilling program at Bulyanhulu. The objective of the program was to add more than 0.5 million ounces to the resources/reserves of the mine. In late July 2004, drilling began on the Reef 1 deep western down-plunge extension; Reef 2 down-dip extension; and Reef 2 eastern strike extension. By the end of November, 16,193 meters of diamond drilling had been completed. The most significant intersections occur in the Reef 2 horizon – east. The resources/reserves replacement program will continue in 2005. Approximately 17,000 meters of diamond drilling are planned on Reef 1, most of it to be performed from the surface. Approximately 12,000 meters of diamond drilling are planned for Reef 2, with most of it to be done from underground.


Peter Munk
Chairman - Barrick Gold Corporation

Gregory Wilkins
President and Chief Executive Officer

Peter J. Kinver
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Jamie C. Sokalsky
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Alexander J. Davidson
Executive Vice President, Exploration and Corporate Development

Patrick Garver
Executive Vice President and General Counsel

Head Office:

BCE Place
Canada Trust Tower
161 Bay Street, Suite 3700
P.O. Box 212
Toronto, Canada M5J 2S1
Telephone: (416) 861-9911 (416) 861-9911
Toll Free: 1-800-720-7415 1-800-720-7415
Fax: (416) 861-2492

http://www.barrick.com/

Uganda: Ugandans in illegal gold trade

Kampala (Uganda) — Ugandan businessmen have been named in illegal gold trade and supporting a Rwandan rebel group, FDLR, operating in eastern Congo.
According to a report compiled by a group of five experts last month and sent to the UN Security Council, FDLR gold networks are tightly intertwined with trading networks operating within Uganda, Burundi and the United Arab Emirates.
The report cites Ugandan businessman Roy Joseph Ziwa, who used to own DAS Air and DAS Handling Services in Entebbe, to have been in telephone contact 41 times between April and September 2009 with Bande Ndagundi, a Congolese gold and arms trafficker.
The report says seven different gold traders interviewed separately in Butembo, Kampala and Dubai confirmed that the main personalities involved in orchestrating gold laundering and smuggling from Butembo to Kampala and Dubai were Indian traders in Kampala. They are named as Rajendra Vaya and family and J. V. Lodhia (known by Congolese and Indian traders as “Chuni”), together with his son, Kunal Lodhia.
The Indian traders, the report says, have extensive family ties in Nairobi. According to the report, Vaya is the director of Machanga Limited and J. V. Lodhia is the director of Uganda Commercial Impex Limited.
“Gold traders confirmed that both the Vaya and Lodhia families pre-finance cash to trusted intermediaries who then offer slightly above market prices in order to guarantee maximum interest from local traders in the DR Congo,” the report notes.
Vaya’s network is reported to handle a larger volume of gold than Lodhia’s. “The gold is smuggled to Kampala by road or by commercial flight to Entebbe and finally to Dubai, where it is handled by an associate of both families, called Jigar Kumar,” the report notes.
Kumar, who works at Asia Exchange Centre forex bureau in Dubai, was named as a gold supplier on the 2008 client list of Emirates Gold, a major gold refinery in Dubai.
The report says that although Vaya denied having any ongoing business relationship with gold dealers, the experts obtained receipts showing that he purchased over $40,000 in flight tickets between May and June 2009 for associates travelling between Entebbe, Bujumbura, Nairobi and Mumbai. “Vaya has been unable to explain what these flight tickets were purchased for.”
The group is still investigating more FDLR contacts in Uganda, including another unnamed Kampala-based trader who has been in contact using satellite telephones belonging to FDLR operatives over 600 times from August 2008 onwards.
The experts noted that by helping the FDLR sell their gold, the Ugandan businessmen are supporting the rebel group.
FDLR (Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda) is a militia formed by the defeated Rwandan Hutu refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo which allegedly counts among its ranks some members of the Interahamwe who carried out the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The group is fighting the Rwandan government.
The report says experts have traced the flow of gold from sites exploited and taxed by FDLR and other militia showing significant amounts of gold being trafficked through Uganda and Burundi and eventually to the United Arab Emirates. The team interviewed traders in Uganda, Tanzania, DR Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Dubai. They found that money was being wired to the FDLR rebels through Western Union.
The report says FDLR contacts in Uganda received the highest number of calls among the people the militia called in 28 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa since the beginning of this year. Uganda’s FDLR contacts received 650 calls, followed by those in Tanzania with 572 calls, Belgium 351 and Germany 258. Other countries FDLR operatives called to are the UK, the US, France, Italy, Morocco, Norway and Kenya.
The researchers say that the networks in Uganda and Burundi are interrelated and both have commercial ties to individuals operating in the United Arab Emirates. However, the researchers said the respective governments did not co-operate when contacted.
“Several gold traders interviewed in Kampala and Dubai, as well as an anonymous contact, informed the group in separate interviews and communications that major gold trading businesses in Kampala were instructed to shut down their activities during the week of the group’s visit to Kampala in June 2009,” the report states.
The experts cited strong indications of high-level protection and in some cases complicity in the illicit gold trade by governments and commercial airlines, notably Emirates Airlines, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines.
In Uganda, the researchers complained that they were provided with incomplete customs declarations for gold exports by the Ugandan Revenue Authority (URA), which officially provided records of 130 gold exports between January 2008 and May 2009.
“We were nevertheless able to obtain statistics through an employee of URA displaying 215 recorded gold exports during the same period. These records have been archived at the United Nations.
“We were also informed by Ugandan-based gold traders that they were encouraged to declare Congolese gold they imported or re-exported from Uganda as gold of Southern Sudanese origin on their official documentation,” the report says.

source.newvision.ug
Posted by africanpress on December 17, 2009