# Randgold Resources Tongon gold mine back in business after lock-out lifted

- Link: https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/randgold-resources-tongon-gold-mine-back-in-business-after-lock-out-lifted/412757816
- Published: 2018-09-05T09:24:58+01:00
- Author: Charlotte Edwards

**Randgold Resources** (LON:RRS) Tongon gold mine returned to normal today after
management lifted the lock-out imposed on workers after a protracted illegal strike.

Negotiations between management, workers, community leaders and the government created
an agreement under which workers are being re-employed in phases aligned to the 
start-up of the mine’s various sections. The agreement also stipulates that the 
previous discussions, aimed at finally ending the occasional industrial unrest at
the mine, should be resumed where they were interrupted by the strike in July.

During the lock-out period, management, senior employees and a skeleton crew prepared
Tongon for resumed production by servicing the processing facilities, including 
relining the mills, as well as maintaining the tailings storage facility and access
to the two open cast operations.

The mine is now fully operational and the phased return of the full employee complement
is expected to be complete by the weekend, but the work stoppage has necessitated
a revision of its previous production guidance for the year which is now estimated
at 230 000 ounces of gold.

> **Randgold chief executive Mark Bristow said** that the company remained a committed
> partner to Côte d’Ivoire, and thanked everyone involved in the various engagements
> to get the mine back to full operation. He said that despite the setbacks at Tongon,
> the overall group production outlook remained within the guidance given at the
> start of the year albeit towards the lower end of the range. This is supported
> by Loulo-Gounkoto remaining on target and the continued outperformance at Kibali.

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