A Chinese mining company has disclosed a loss of 12 kilograms (26 pounds) of gold, valued at approximately $900,000, following an armed robbery at its Ghanaian operations earlier this year.
Beijing Xiaocheng Technology Stock Co., a Shenzhen-listed firm engaged in gold mining and processing, revealed the details in its half-year financial report released on Wednesday.
The company reported that the robbery, which took place on April 18, involved “five to six” suspects who have since been arrested and are being held by Ghanaian authorities. However, the stolen gold remains missing, and local security agencies are still searching for it.
The attack targeted Akroma Gold Mining Co., a Beijing Xiaocheng subsidiary operating in Esaase, Kwahu West Municipality, in Ghana’s eastern region.
According to local media reports from April, heavily armed assailants breached the processing plant, stole gold, and assaulted several workers, including Chinese expatriates. Although no fatalities were reported, the incident resulted in injuries among staff and significant disruption to operations.
Akroma Gold Mining has reinforced its security measures in response to the attack. The company indicated that Ghanaian authorities had issued a bounty for the capture of those responsible for the robbery.
The robbers, who were masked, broke into the processing plant from an undeveloped area of the mine, overpowering security personnel before escaping with the gold intended for export.
Beijing Xiaocheng, which operates three gold mines in Ghana, has resumed normal activities at the Akroma site. In addition to its mining operations, the company has invested in renewable energy projects in Ghana, including a 20-megawatt photovoltaic power station.
Ghana is a leading global exporter of gold, generating $9.53 billion in export revenue in 2022, with significant portions sent to the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, India, and Hong Kong, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity.
