Mali forecasts 2015 gold production to slip to 48.9 tonnes

BAMAKO (Reuters) - Mali, the third-largest gold producer in sub-Saharan Africa, has trimmed its forecast for gold production this year to 48.9 tonnes from 49.8 tonnes in 2014 as production from some mature mines dwindles, the mines ministry said. Lassana Guindo, technical advisor at the ministry, said industrial production would be around 44.9 tonnes this year, plus a further four tonnes of artisanal output. "The fall in production is due essentially to the exhaustion of reserves in certain mines, notably Yatela which is closing and the Morila mines and Sadiola," he said. Yatela, in which Anglogold Ashanti and Canada's Iamgold each hold 40 percent, is forecast to production just 310 kg of gold this year versus 1.07 tonnes in 2014, well below its peak output of 7 tonnes a year. The Malian state owns 20 percent of the mine. Morila, which had peak production of around 20 tonnes a year, will see output fall to 3.7 tonnes in 2015 from 4.4 tonnes last year. Randgold Resources and Anglogold Ashanti both own 40 percent of the mine, with the Malian state holding the remainder. "If exploration underway does not discover any new reserves, the mine will have to close in 2017-2018," said Mohamed Keita, administrator of the Morila mine at the ministry. An interministerial commission put in place by the government at Yatela and Morila foresees the closure of the two mines in 2017-2018, the ministry said. Production at the Sadiola mine operated by Anglogold Ashanti will slide to 4.7 tonnes from 7.7 tonnes last year -- well below peaks of around 15 tonnes a year. Mines /(companies) 2015 Forecast (kg) 2014 Production (kg) Sadiola (Anglogold) 4,779,000 7,712,743 Morila (Randgold/Anglogold) 3,727,000 4,495,088 Yatela (Anglogold/Iamgold) 310,000 1,070,992 Kalana (Avnel gold) 242,758 335,575 Loulo-Gounkoto (Randgold) 21,153,742 21,192,777 Tabakoto/Segala (Endeavour mining) 5,847,000 4,584,414 Syama (Resolute Mining) 8,500,000 6,432,523 Nampala (Robex) 388,785 7,598 Total Industrial Production 44,948,285 45,839,710 Total Artisanal Production 4,000,000 4000,00 Overall Gold Production 48,948,285 49,839,710 (Source: mining ministry)