Local businesses are making a significant contribution to the development of Randgold Resources’ new mine at Tongon, Côte d’Ivoire, Chief Executive Mark Bristow said on a visit to the project on April 24.  The mine, now rapidly taking shape, is scheduled to pour its first gold in the fourth quarter of this year. Bristow said that thanks to capacity and quality improvements, Randgold had been able to increase the use of locally produced steel from 300 t to over 800 t, which is more than 20% of the total of 3,800 t, which will go into the mine’s construction.  All the steel for the first phase of the project has already been produced and the final 1,400 t are now being manufactured.Many local businesses are being used for the development of the project. These include construction contractors, metal constructors and transporters. Local professionals have also been retained for the electrical and civil work. Bristow also noted that the transport of goods to the site had to date required 1,660 truck trips between the port of San Pedro and the mine.  All the trucks are being provided and operated by Ivorian companies and, despite the ruggedness of the route, there have been only two minor accidents so far.  

Ten breakbulk vessels have already delivered 31,000 t of equipment and materials for the mine through San Pedro.  Only two more are due, of which one is on its way from Durban while the other will be loaded at Jeddah towards the end of June.  Once their cargoes have been received, 99% of all the requirements for the first two phases of the mine’s development will be on site.

Construction activity is at its peak level at present, with more than 1,600 workers on site. Randgold hopes that many of these workers can eventually be absorbed into the mine’s permanent workforce or allied business activities after suitable training by the company and its partners.

In other developments, Randgold has built two schools for the local communities and is currently completing the construction of 120 permanent houses for employees.  It is also financing a 90 kV power line from Korhogo to Tongon and has rebuilt the roads between Tongon and Korhogo as well as M’bengue.