Gold output up 3%

Gold output from Ghana, Africa's second largest producer of the precious metal, rose 3 percent during the first nine months of 2010 compared to a year earlier, the government said on Tuesday.

The West African nation produced some 2.24 million ounces of gold during the period, versus 2.17 million ounces in the first nine months of 2009, according to figures released by the Ghana Chamber of Mines.

Revenues from gold mining, meanwhile, rose 30 percent to $2.611 billion, according to the figures.

Ghana is Africa's second biggest gold miner behind South Africa, and is also the world's No. 2 grower of cocoa.


Diamond production fell 1 percent to 265,034 carats, while revenue from sales of the gems almost doubled to $9.2 million, it said. Output of bauxite, used to make aluminum, rose 30 percent to 470,227 metric tons, while earnings from sales of the raw material jumped 71 percent to $13.9 million, it said.

Manganese production declined 1 percent to 756,439 tons while earnings from the metal increased 1 percent to $49.2 million, the chamber said.

Production        (Nine Months 2010)       (Nine Months 2009)

Gold (ounces)        2,235,881                 2,173,182

Diamond (carats)     265,034                   267,594

Bauxite (tons)       470,227                   361,440

Manganese (tons)     756,439                   764,377



Revenue (US$)     (Nine Months 2010)       (Nine Months 2009)

Gold                 2,611,116,019             2,003,702,846

Diamond              9,160,070                 4,865,007

Bauxite              13,886,325                8,134,142

Manganese            49,197,977                48,789,224



Production        (Third Quarter 2010)      (Third Quarter 2009)

Gold (ounces)        780,646                   767,567

Diamond (carats)     63,242                    90,313

Bauxite (tons)       168,738                   86,600

Manganese (tons)     192,488                   315,723



Revenue            (Third Quarter 2010)     (Third Quarter 2009)

Gold                 928,185,456               715,771,359

Diamond              2,306,829                 2,108,032

Bauxite              5,062,140                 1,862,766

Manganese            12,016,500                20,733,199