GOLD producers operating in Africa have provided funds to their host nations as the continent battles the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of April 7, there had been 10,252 cases of COVID-19 reported in the continent across 52 countries. An estimated 492 people had died from the virus in Africa, although under-counting may mask the true proliferation of the disease.
Barrick Gold handed a cheque for $530,000 to Zambia health minister, Dr Chitalu Chilufya and the country’s mines minister, Richard Musukwa for the combating and containment of COVID-19 in the sub-Saharan country, the company announced.
“As a committed partner to Zambia we would also like to make a contribution to the government’s fight against the pandemic,” said Nathan Chishimba, Barrick’s Zambia country manager. The funds are for the provision of medical equipment to the value of $340,000 at the national level, $100,000 for the North-Western province and $90,000 for the Kalumbila district, the company said.
Barrick operates the Lumwana copper/gold mine in Zambia.
Australian-listed Perseus Mining agreed to donate $387,500, including both cash and goods, to assist its host governments and host communities in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire in their efforts to fight the spread of COVID – 19 in West Africa.
“The provision of the financial and practical assistance by Perseus to our host governments and communities that has been announced today is totally consistent with Perseus’s long held strategy of practicing sustainable mining – not just talking about it,” said Jeff Quartermaine, CEO and MD of Perseus Mining.
“As of 6 April 2020, there continues to be no cases of COVID-19 infection reported by any of Perseus’s employees or contractors operating at its Edikan and Sissingué gold mines, or at the Yaouré gold mine construction site,” said Perseus.
Supply chains for each of Perseus’s operating sites remain open in both Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire although movement of both local and foreign employees is currently impacted by government-imposed travel restrictions, the company said.
