INTERVIEW – Nana Bompeh Sangmuah CEO, Roscan Gold

In the current climate of global economic and political stress, it is more important than ever for African governments to engage with their investors in a spirit of genuine partnership, Randgold Resources chief executive Mark Bristow said here today.

The company, which began exploring the area in March this year, said that specialists from its joint venture partner Alrosa are reanalyzing 80 tonnes of samples that were sent to South Africa.

Shares were up more than 5% after the firm posted higher output across all divisions, except for copper, and said market conditions for its diamond business had improved.

He envisions people living in big glass-carbon fiber domes on the surface, with additional areas mined out below the surface by robots for "industrial" uses.

Exploration by Randgold Resources, which owns and operates the Tongon gold mine in Côte d’Ivoire, continues to highlight exciting possibilities for further investment in the country, chief executive Mark Bristow said here today.

The investment will extend the life of the mine by eight years to 2024, in which the firm expects to produce 1.56 million ounces of gold there.

AMCU has been demanding pay hikes of more than 50% for its lowest paid members and a 15% hike for its higher paid members.

Stock climbed 12.94%, closing the session at 529p.

The Congo mine, which cost $3 billion to build, holds one of the world’s largest known copper resources.