Last week, the World Gold Council (WGC) announced three of the world’s leading gold mining companies, Harmony Gold, Peter Hambro Mining and Yamana Gold have joined WGC. This means the WGC now represents 25 companies and 63% of obtainable global gold production.

Georges Lequimes, a representative for Harmony Gold, the world’s fifth largest gold producer, commented: "World Gold Council is widely recognised across the gold industry for the success it has achieved in simulating sustained demand for gold. Its work benefits the entire gold industry and with more members and therefore increased funding, we feel confident WGC will continue to build on its successes to date. We would urge other major producers who do not already participate to show their support to this valuable organisation."

Pierre Lassonde, Chairman of the WGC, and former President of Newmont Mining said: "Its a very positive development to welcome today three new member companies to the ranks of the World Gold Council. This particular mix of companies signifies the international appeal of WGC and the benefits we offer to members of all sizes.

"Our three major marketing programmes – investment, jewellery and industrial – continue to deliver significant industry benefit and we look forward to leveraging the industry insight our new members will bring to build on the successes of our programmes of the past few years."

Founded in 1987, the aim of the WGC (www.gold.org) is to stimulate and maximise the demand for and holding of gold by consumers, investors, industry and the official sector. As well as undertaking marketing initiatives to drive demand, the WGC is also instrumental in working to lower regulatory barriers to the widespread ownership of gold products, helping to develop distribution systems and promoting the role of gold as a reserve asset in the official sector. A commercially-driven marketing organisation, it is funded by the world’s leading gold mining companies.

Harmony Gold

Harmony has operations and projects in South Africa, Australasia and Papua New Guinea (PNG). Founded in 1950 as a Rand Mines-managed company, Harmony was independently listed on the JSE Limited in 1997. Today Harmony is listed on seven bourses worldwide: London. Berlin, Paris, Brussels and, a dual listing in New York, on Nasdaq and the NYSE. Harmony’s operations have grown significantly since 1995, expanding from a single, lease-bound mining operation into an independent, world-class gold producer.

Peter Hambro Mining

PHM is one of the largest gold producers and explorers in Russia with significant assets in a number of regions. Throughout Russia and the UK the group employs approximately 3,930 people. It is committed to the highest standards of environmental management, employee health and safety and support for its neighbouring communities.

The group was founded in 1994 in London. PHM’s shares have traded on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange since 2002. In addition to this, PHM has an ADR programme with the Bank of New York. It has offices in London, Moscow and Blagoveschensk.

Yamana Gold

Yamana is a Canadian gold producer with significant gold and copper-gold production from five operating mines in Brazil, as well as gold development stage properties, exploration properties, and land positions in all three major mineral areas in Brazil.

Yamana also owns an operating mine in Honduras, a development stage project in Argentina and significant exploration concessions in Nicaragua. Yamana is producing gold at intermediate company production levels and is targeting 1 Moz of gold by 2009.

Current members of the WGC are:

Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited

AngloGoldAshanti Limited

Barrick Gold Corporation

Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc. Minera

Barrick Gold of Australia

Cedimin SAC

China National Gold Corporation

Coeur d’Alene Mines Corporation

Compañía de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A.

Eldorado Gold Corporation

Goldcorp Inc.

Gold Fields Limited

Harmony Gold

The Hutti Gold Mines Company Limited

IAMGold

Inversiones Mineras del Sur SAA

Kahama Mining

Kinross

Minera Barrick Misquichilca S.A.

Minera Yanacocha S.R.L.

Mitsubishi Materials Corporation

Newmont Mining Corporation

Peter Hambro Mining Plc.

Royal Gold, Inc.

Yamana Gold Inc.