Gold prices keep accelerating The surge in gold prices on international commodity markets is accelerating plans by gold mining companies to set up new mines in Ghana. It is also making old, discontinued mining operations viable again. The first mines in northern Ghana – there are two of them – are approaching construction stage. But even before construction on those two begins, the improved economic viability of gold mining, coupled with technological advancement is bringing old mines in Ghana back on stream again. Construction on Ghana’s latest gold mining project is set to begin immediately following the granting of an environmental permit to Goldstone Resources from the Ghanaian Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its Homase South Pit. This is part of its wider Akrokeri-Homase project which comprises of the Akrokeri underground mine and the Homasi open pit, where it will conduct surface mining. The environmental permit is a prerequisite for the other needed operational permits which the company now expects imminently. Goldstone had anticipated developing the mine some six months ago and is now looking to pour first gold just two months from now.