Perseus Mining Limited: Response to Ghanaian News Reports
PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA--(Marketwired - Aug. 28, 2015) -
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Perseus Mining Ltd. ("Perseus" or the "Company") (TSX:PRU)(ASX:PRU) wishes to clarify some recent Ghanaian media reports involving illegal miners (locally referred to as "galamsey") and Ghana's national security forces at Ayanfuri, a town near Perseus's Edikan Gold Mine in Ghana ("Edikan").
An incident occurred when members of the Ghanaian military were deployed as part of a national government initiative to arrest illegal miners operating in the area. The illegal miners were attempting to extract gold from a de-commissioned heap leach pad from a previous mining operation that is situated on the fringes of Perseus's mining lease.
Perseus understands that 32 illegal miners were arrested by the security forces and the ensuing disturbance resulted in a bus and a drill rig, both belonging to contractors, being burnt. No property belonging to Perseus was damaged and none of Perseus's employees were injured. The Company's gold production has continued as planned. While mine workers were prevented from leaving Ayanfuri to start the night shift at Edikan on Sunday evening when a barricade was erected by the galamsey, they were covered by day shift workers who worked a double shift and operations continued unimpeded. This barricade has since been cleared.
Perseus is cooperating with the authorities to ensure peace and safety is maintained around the Edikan Gold Mine to allow its management team and workers to continue to focus on building on the material operating improvements that have been achieved at the mine. This will, ultimately, benefit a range of stakeholders including our host community and national government.
Contact
Perseus Mining Ltd. (Perth)
Jeff Quartermaine
Managing Director
+61 8 6144 1700
jeff.quartermaine@perseusmining.com
Perseus Mining Ltd. (Melbourne)
Nathan Ryan
Investor Relations
+61 4 20 582 887
nathan.ryan@nwrcommunications.com.au
