AngloGold Spills Toxic Waste Near South Africa’s Vaal River

Anglo Gold Ashanti Ltd., Africa’s largest producer of the metal, said it spilled toxic waste from a gold-dump treatment unit into a tributary of South Africa’s Vaal River.

By Kevin Crowley

The waste from Anglo Gold’s Mine Waste Solutions unit entered the Koekemoer Spruit near the river on Aug. 27, Alan Fine, a company spokesman, said today by telephone. “It could be detrimental to flora and fauna but not to human life,” he said.
AngloGold bought Mine Waste Solutions, which recovers gold and uranium from mine waste, last year for $335 million from First Uranium Corp. (FIU/H)
“An initial investigation shows thieves may have stolen bolts from pipelines near the facility”, Fine said. The spillage does not appear to be part of any chronic problems.