Adelaide, Dec 15, 2006 (ABN Newswire) - Two gold companies involved in the development of the Tropicana project north of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia have tied for the honour of the gold sector's top explorer in 2006.
Awarded annually by Gold Mining Journal (GMJ), Australia's only gold mining magazine, the honour of Gold Explorer of the Year for 2006 has been bestowed on AngloGold Ashanti Ltd and the Independence Group NL.
GMJ's Gold Miner of the Year was named as Dominion Mining Ltd.
It has been a buoyant year in Australia for most metals commodities and gold has kept pace with its high price and a spate of projects making the conversion from exploration status to gold production.
"This market buoyancy was reflected in the spread and depth of nominations received by the 28-member judging panel for 2006 - with little indication of a slowdown in the sector in the coming 12 months," GMJ Editor, Mr Barry Avery, said today.
"AngloGold Ashanti and Independence are deserved winners as their progress at Tropicana, about 400 kilometres northeast of Kalgoorlie, is helping this region shape up as an entirely new exploration province within the Yilgarn Block."
AngloGold Ashanti manages Tropicana, which covers more than 12,000 square kilometres of tenements. Avery said that while no JORC figures had yet been released for Tropicana, the exploration play is believed to host multi-million ounce gold deposits.
AngloGold Ashanti has flagged a resource statement to be released in 2007.
Top miner winner, Dominion, has as its flagship the Challenger gold mine, 250km north of Ceduna on the Gawler Craton of South Australia.
Dominion was recognised in the award for increasing production at Challenger while containing costs and replacing resources and reserves.
It is the second year in succession that the Company has walked away with GMJ's Top Miner honour. The list of winners is as follows:
2006 Gold Mining Journal Gold Explorer of the Year:
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