Report from the Chief Executive Officer
As I reflect on C2010, all our efforts
at Gold Fields have been focused on
realising our Vision of being “the global
leader in sustainable gold mining”.
C2010 was also the year in which the
company’s share price outperformed
its senior gold peer group in what
continues to be the strongest gold
market in our generation.
1.2.1 The gold market
In December 2010, gold prices
reached what was then an all-time
high of US$1,426 per ounce, an
increase of almost 30% for the year
and an increase of 460% over the low
of US$256 per ounce recorded on
18 February 2001. Several key dynamics
had some role to play in the continued
rise in the gold price in C2010:
Investment demand
The first is higher levels of investment
in gold and gold related products,
such as the various Exchange Traded
Funds (ETFs) now available around
the world. Gold has increasingly
been viewed as a relatively stable
asset class amid the global economic
volatility experienced over the past two
years. In C2010, public and private
investors continued to increase their
investment in gold in response to
economic volatility and uncertainty.
This is due to the historical status
of the metal as an efficient and
accessible way to preserve capital.
As a result, gold has become a key
investment target for those who seek
to diversify their holdings and mitigate
their portfolio risks. The amount of gold
held by ETFs, for example, has risen
from 150 tonnes in 2004 to around
2,150 tonnes at the end of C2010, with
total holdings in ETFs reaching
US$98 billion. Despite the growth in
demand for gold and gold related
investment products, investments in
gold only constitute approximately
1% of all funds under management
globally which, we believe, leaves
considerable scope for further
investment in gold.
Jewellery demand
The second dynamic that drove the
gold market in C2010 was strong
economic growth in the emerging
markets, led by India and China. This
has not only translated into strong
demand for all commodities, but has
also increased disposable income
in markets that have traditionally
demonstrated strong demand for
gold and other precious metals. Both
India and China, the first and second
largest consumers of gold in the world
respectively, enjoyed strong levels of
economic growth of around 9% in
C2010. This has underpinned strong
demand for gold jewellery, which is
used by many families to store and
protect their wealth. Official data shows
that China imported about 260 tonnes
of gold in C2010, more than double the
amount imported in C2009.
Similarly, India’s gold imports were up
substantially, while the governments
and central banks of emerging
economies have sought to diversify
their exposure to currencies and
have increased their sovereign gold
reserves. We believe that the outlook for
continued economic growth in
India and China remains strong and
could continue to provide significant
support for the price of gold during
2011 and beyond.
New mine supply
Additional support for the gold
market during C2010 came from
the continued decline in global gold
discoveries over the last decades.
According to Gold Fields research,
gold discoveries have been on a
declining trend since their peak in the
mid-1980s. As a result, the gold sector
is not discovering sufficient ounces
to replace those ounces lost through
production. In addition, the grade
of ore being discovered is generally
decreasing, the amount being spent
on making these discoveries is rising,
and the costs of developing and
mining these lower grade deposits are
getting higher.
This has resulted in growing
competition for resources and
increasing prices for gold resource
assets against a scenario where
primary gold supply remains the
same today as it was 10 years ago,
despite the significant rise in the
gold price. Operating environments
are becoming more challenging and
the lead times to bring projects to
fruition are increasing. This trend is
unlikely to change in the short-term.
Despite a small increase in primary
gold production in C2010, we do
not foresee any change in overall
production trends in the short- to
medium-term. Gold Fields,
however, is well positioned to
address these challenges.
“If we cannot mine safely, we will not mine”
Gold Fields Safety Value
Future price dynamics
Market consensus is that quantitative
easing, low interest rates and
prospects for significantly higher
inflation in the years to come should
underpin a strong gold price during
C2011. Gold is also likely to be
supported by political events, notably
growing social and political instability
in the Middle East, the threat of
sovereign debt defaults in Europe and
a global economic recession.
The wider gold mining industry also
expects continued strong prices. In
PwC’s annual survey of executives
from 44 gold mining companies, 73%
of respondents thought gold prices
would increase further in 2011. This
forecast is also supported by 24
analysts polled by the London Bullion
Market Association in January 2011.1
In light of these considerations, we
share industry opinion that supply
and demand fundamentals backed
by economic conditions provide some
support for current gold price levels, at
least in the short-term.
Fiscal environment
Allied to this, one of the most
prominent challenges continues to
be a hardening fiscal environment
in many producer countries. This
has manifested itself in increases,
or proposed increases, in new taxes
or higher royalties in all of our host
countries. This has been demonstrated
by attempts in Australia to impose
the Resource Super-Profit Tax in
May 2010, the imposition of higher
royalty rates in March 2011 in Ghana,
the forthcoming Carbon Pollution
Reduction Scheme in Australia and an
anticipated carbon tax in South Africa.
1 Financial Times, Bumper Times Beckon for
Precious Metals, 7 January 2011
Input costs and Notional Cash
Expenditure (NCE)
The resurgence in global mining
activity has further exacerbated the
shortage of skilled workers as a
major challenge and driver of costs.
This has resulted in a global war for
mining talent.
The continued rise in input costs
in C2010 will require gold prices
to remain between US$1,100 and
US$1,400 an ounce, if we are to avoid
funding pressures on sustainable
primary gold supplies. By the end
of C2010, the industry-wide NCE
of producing an ounce of gold was
estimated at between US$950 and
US$1,050 per ounce.2 As demand for
commodities continues to increase
and mining activities again ramp-up
around the world, the mining industry
could face another significant spike in
input costs, similar to that experienced
in C2008 and C2009.
One issue which has become a
significant risk to the sustainability of
the industry as a whole is the need
for greater transparency – both for
itself and its investors – regarding
the all-in cost of producing an ounce
of gold. Against the backdrop of
escalating input costs, it is becoming
more urgent for the gold mining
industry to move towards a more
inclusive and transparent reporting
of costs. We believe that NCE, which
includes all operating costs and all
capital expenditure as well as nearmine
exploration, represents the most
representative cost of producing an
ounce of gold, and is a more reliable
measure than the commonly used
‘cash costs’.
2 Gold Fields estimate
The main argument used against
NCE as a cost measure is the inclusion
of so-called ‘growth capital’ in the
definition. Nonetheless, in our view
‘growth capital’ should be included
because the bulk of the capital
invested in new production is largely
aimed at replenishing the industry’s
declining output. If this is not the
case, then surely we should have seen
primary gold supply increasing over
the last 10 years instead of remaining
stagnant, particularly in the face of
significantly higher gold prices. In
an industry that continues to favour
cash costs instead of reporting all-in
costs, it is not surprising that external
stakeholders will demand a greater
share of the (apparently) higher
operating profit margins that are not
supported by underlying cash flow.
We believe that each one of these
key dynamics that drove the gold
bull market during C2010 remain
firmly in place. This bodes well for the
gold price, but also represents both
challenges and risks to the industry
– in terms of potentially rising costs,
increased imposts and the continuing
war for skills.
1.2.2 Our Vision
It is against this backdrop that
Gold Fields took decisive steps during
C2010 towards realising our Vision of
being “the global leader in sustainable
gold mining”. We have implemented
strategies aimed at reducing our
relative costs by optimising our existing
operations and improving the overall
quality of our assets. The focus has
been on advancing four overarching
operational objectives:
- Improving our safety performance,
led by a further reduction in fatalities
(p71), the further consolidation of
our Safe Production Management
Programme (p72) and a reduction
in unplanned safety-related
production stoppages
- Growing our free cash flow margin
per ounce on an NCE basis through
the launch of an extensive business
reengineering programme in the
Australasia, South Africa and West
Africa Regions (p61)
- Growing our production base to at
least 5 million ounces, in production
or in development, by 2015, while at
the same time improving the overall
number of ounces of production
per issued share. This includes
the ongoing development and
production ramp-up at our South
Deep mine, continued advancement
of our four resource development
and feasibility projects (p120-123),
organic growth in our international
regions (p118-119) and stabilising
our established mines in South
Africa (p56)
- Maintaining a strong balance
sheet. Our balance sheet was
bolstered by the highly successful
US$1 billion, 10-year bond issue in
October 2010, which significantly
strengthened our liquidity and debt
maturity profile. We are also using
our strong cash flow to continuously
support our balance sheet
Gold Fields Framework for
Sustainable Development
As part of our Vision, we have
developed and introduced a
comprehensive and industry – leading
sustainability framework – the
Gold Fields Framework for Sustainable
Development. This provides for the
comprehensive and systematic
implementation of our Values
through an overarching Sustainable
Development Policy that is supported
by subsidiary policies, strategies and
best practice guides. The Framework
is fully aligned with a range of
internationally recognised sustainability
benchmarks and standards, including
those promoted by:
- South Africa’s King III Code
- The World Gold Council
- The International Council on
Mining and Metals
- The UN Global Compact
This Framework – together with our
core commitment to safe mining
– forms the basis for continuous
improvement in the sustainability of
our business. As a measure of our
progress, we plan to build on our
already well established place as
a top performer in the JSE Socially
Responsible Investment Index (SRI) by
achieving inclusion in the upper ranks
of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index
within the next three years.
Risk management and
scenario planning
We are increasingly incorporating
the concept of sustainability into all
aspects of our business. This proactive
approach requires strong focus on risk
management and scenario planning,
so we can pre-empt challenges
to – and opportunities around – the
sustainability of our business. The
comprehensive, applied nature of our
Enterprise-Wide Risk Management
System (p40) means that once these
challenges and opportunities have
been identified, concrete measures
are integrated into the day-to-day
management of our business.
Given the long-term nature of major
mining investments, it is imperative that
sustainability is built-in from the earliest
stages of exploration through to mine
closure. Similarly, business sustainability
needs to be driven at a regional level
in order to ensure our approach
is tailored to local regulations,
circumstances and requirements.
An integrated business
sustainability model
The mining sector has traditionally
given sustainability a relatively narrow
definition based on environmental,
community and health & safety
performance. There is growing
recognition, however, of a broader
definition that looks at the long-term
performance of a business in its
entirety. This means looking at risks
and opportunities across the spectrum
– whether commercial, environmental,
operational, social or ethical. As a result
we factor these risks and opportunities
into our overall business model and
so ensure that we can develop and
operate economically sustainable
mines. This ‘integrated’ approach is
already being applied by a number of
leading global businesses - and now by
Gold Fields. Our integrated approach
to sustainability is reflected in our
application of integrated reporting.
We have used Gold Fields three
‘strategic pillars’ as a framework
around which to structure this
information. The first, ‘Optimising
our operations’, deals with our
immediate operational performance,
safety and environmental stewardship.
The second, ‘Growing Gold Fields’,
focuses on our exploration-driven
growth strategy, the expanding
growth pipeline and our Mineral
Resources and Mineral Reserves.
The third, ‘Securing our future
responsibly’, addresses issues likely
to affect our business performance
in the long-term. This includes talent
management, employee health and
wellbeing, the maintenance of strong
and constructive relationships with
key investor, government and
community stakeholders, as well as
business ethics.
This integrated approach, which
incorporates the broad range of
sustainability issues into all areas
of our business management, is
likewise reflected in our performance
management systems. Strong
performance management is vital
for a complex and rapidly growing
global company such as Gold Fields. It
ensures employees share appropriately
in the success of the company.
Gold Fields uses a fully integrated
or ‘balanced scorecard’ approach.
This includes traditional measures
of performance such as employee
productivity, as well as environmental
and safety metrics. Using this
approach, we are ensuring that
business sustainability is integral to
our day-to-day way of doing things
– and that there is accountability
for the long-term performance of
the company. All middle- to seniorlevel
employees participate in this
performance management process,
which forms an integral part of our
talent management.
1.2.3 Key areas of
focus for Gold Fields
In order to embed the integrated
business sustainability model into the
Group we are focusing on three key
themes, namely business flexibility,
optimisation of operations and
future growth, and the promotion of
‘sustainable gold’. The diligent and
forward looking application of these
themes, as we progress towards our
5 million ounce target, will ensure that
this growth is sustainable. It will also
enhance investor confidence in
Gold Fields as a company that is
innovative, capable, global
and responsible.
1.2.4 Business flexibility
Business flexibility is critical for
international companies seeking to
prosper in an increasingly competitive
global economy that demands agility,
adaptability and foresight. At an
operational level this requires our
mines to continuously improve their
planning, mining and processing. At a
strategic level it requires Gold Fields
to evolve as an organisation as we
successfully explore and operate in
unfamiliar and potentially challenging
new environments. Our efforts to
further integrate operational and
strategic flexibility into our business
will ultimately translate into enhanced
returns for investors.
At an operational level, progress over
C2010 has included:
- The generation of tradable
Certified Emission Reductions from
our Beatrix Methane project to take
advantage of the opportunities
offered by the sale of carbon
credits (p87)
- Significant successes in addressing
seismic-related accidents in our
underground mines (p76)
- Commissioning the Gold Recovery
Opportunities from Waste Treatment
Holistically (GROWTH) initiative
at the Kloof-Driefontein Complex
(KDC), to treat large quantities of low
grade surface rock dumps (p58)
- Development of integrated
strategies around water
security in the West Wits
area and the generation of
alternative revenue streams
from our tailings (p88-89, 91)
At a strategic level, we completed
the implementation of a new
corporate structure. This includes
the devolution of operational support
and control from our corporate office
in Johannesburg to each of our four
operating regions (Australasia, South
Africa, South America and West
Africa). As a result, our corporate
office has been rationalised to focus
mainly on high-level Group issues
such as corporate strategy, policies
and standards, the allocation of
capital and sustainability, the overall
co-ordination of exploration and
corporate development, as well as
high-level project control and quality
assurance. We have considerably
strengthened the capabilities of our
regional management teams over
the past two years to ensure they are
fully equipped to operate in this new,
devolved management environment
and can adapt quickly, flexibly and
appropriately to local circumstances.
In South Africa, this new corporate
structure has been supported by
our Project Blueprint business reengineering
programme. The key
initiative under Project Blueprint is the
merger of our Kloof and Driefontein
mines into the Kloof-Driefontein
Complex (KDC). The South African
regional management structure has
also been integrated with the KDC
team, providing for a more focused,
lean and fit for purpose management
structure – as well as reduced
operational overheads to ensure its
long-term sustainability(p61).
Business flexibility also requires that
the company attracts, retains and
develops talented employees, who can
innovate and exercise their initiative
at an appropriately devolved level. It
is in this context that we are placing
particular emphasis on education,
training, talent development and
academic partnerships – to the mutual
benefit of our employees and
Gold Fields (p144-146).
“In C2011, we aim to:
1. |
Achieve stability of safe production at the Kloof-Driefontein Complex (KDC) and Beatrix mine in South Africa |
2. |
Continue the development and production ramp-up at the South Deep mine towards the target of 750,000 ounces by
the end of C2014. Our plans are for output of about 300,000 to 325,000 ounces during C2011, compared to 274,000
ounces in C2010 |
3. |
Continue business re-engineering in our Australasia, South Africa and West Africa Regions to improve free cash
flow and get each operation to a sustainable NCE margin of 20% in the short-term and 25% in the medium- to
long-term at sustainable gold prices |
4. |
Continue the momentum and development of our four resource development and feasibility projects in Peru, Mali,
the Philippines and Finland, as well as near-mine growth at Damang” |
Nick Holland, Chief Executive Officer, Gold Fields |
1.2.5 Optimisation of
operations and future growth
Our overarching Goal is to increase
production from the annual run rate of
about 3.6 million ounces achieved by
the end of C2010, to 5 million quality,
attributable, gold-equivalent ounces, in
development or in production, by the
end of 2015.
Our growth strategy is based on the
development of high quality growth
opportunities. We pursue these
opportunities through aggressive
near-mine exploration, as well as
greenfields exploration within our
existing regions and beyond.
Together, these two strategies are
designed to get us from our current
production level to our 5 million ounce
target by 2015. It is important to note
that growth is not just about size or
the number of ounces produced. It
is also about improving the quality of
our portfolio and generating value for
shareholders on a per ounce and per
share basis. This principle applies to
both our existing operations and to the
new ounces that we bring into
the portfolio.
Ensuring our existing assets deliver
their full potential
With Group attributable Mineral
Reserves of 77 million gold equivalent
ounces, it is essential to bring these
ounces to account in the most cost
effective way and, in doing so, ensure
the longevity of each of our existing
mines. Underpinning this objective is
the need to achieve the required levels
of ore reserve development to create
mining flexibility.
We are also working to improve the
quality of our existing production
by reducing our cost base to more
sustainable levels. In particular, this
means improving our NCE margin
to at least 20% at each operation,
which we achieved in the December
quarter 2010 for the Group as a whole.
We are doing so through extensive
business re-engineering programmes,
which are identifying and realising
major cost savings on an ongoing
basis. The most significant of these
programmes is Project Blueprint,
which is helping ensure the long-term
business sustainability of our South
Africa Region. Similar programmes are
underway in the Australasia and West
Africa regions.
By 2015, the South Africa Region alone
is expected to contribute between
2 and 2.3 million ounces a year
towards our target of 5 million ounces
– ensuring the region’s rightful place
at the centre of our internationally
diversified portfolio of assets. This
will be achieved by stabilising the
production run rate at our mature
Beatrix and KDC operations and
building up the South Deep project
to a production capacity of 750,000
ounces per year by the end of C2014
(p56). In South Africa, it will also be
crucial to reduce energy costs and
ensure security of supply.
By 2015, each of our three
international regions is expected to
contribute at least 1 million ounces
towards our 5 million ounce target.
In addition to the development of
new greenfields growth opportunities
in these regions discussed below,
our approach is based on five key
objectives at our existing mines:
- Realisation of their full
potential through enhanced
mine development and cost
reductions, including business
re-engineering at Tarkwa,
St Ives
and Agnew (p64)
- Organic or near-mine growth, with
particular opportunities around
Agnew and Damang (p118)
- Maintenance of current production
levels at Tarkwa (p60)
- Life extension at St Ives, Agnew and
Cerro Corona, and the maintenance
of current levels of production
- Reducing energy costs and
ensuring security of energy
supply in all our regions (p67)
Creating high quality
growth opportunities
The Australasia, West Africa and
South America regions have all been
identified as containing prospective
emerging gold and mineral belts
with medium- to long-term potential.
Gold Fields is building the ongoing
diversification of its production portfolio
through aggressive exploration-led
growth in these regions. In C2011,
Gold Fields plans to spend about
US$50 million on near-mine
exploration, and about US$100 million
on greenfields exploration.
Of particular importance is our rich
pipeline of greenfields projects, which
we have developed over the past few
years. We now have four advanced
projects, which are moving towards
construction decisions over the next
18 – 24 months and will underpin our
target of 5 million ounces by 2015.
These include:
- The Chucapaca project in Peru (p122)
- The Yanfolila project in Mali (p123)
- The Far South East project in the
Philippines (p120)
- The Arctic Platinum project in
Finland (p121)
As these projects come online, they
will further consolidate our status as
a truly global gold mining company
– with all of the growth opportunities
that this entails. Ounce-for-ounce
exploration-led growth is considerably
cheaper than buying in additional gold
ounces through potentially expensive
merger and acquisition activities. In
C2010, we added almost 12 million
ounces of resources at a cost of
approximately US$10/ounce, which,
we understand, is the most competitive
performance when measured against
our large gold mining peers.
Our research suggests that gold
discoveries are increasingly taking
place in ‘high-risk’ regions, as
‘traditional’ gold producing areas are
becoming progressively depleted.1
This, in combination with higher
gold prices, means mining
companies are pushing the
boundaries of their exploration and
production – physically, geologically
and technologically. As a result,
they are mining in ever more remote
areas, where they are increasingly
expected to fill the development
vacuum left by inadequate or nonexistent
state infrastructure.
1 Tommy McKeith, Gold Fields, Diggers and
Dealers, August 2010
Companies are also pursuing activities
in a range of non-traditional, and
in many cases high-risk, producer
countries, resulting in exposure to
a range of issues around transparency,
human rights and geopolitical risk. The
ongoing ‘internationalisation’ of our
production and exploration is
reflective of this long-term trend.
Our comprehensive Enterprise Wide
Risk Management (EWRM) system
and stakeholder engagement
programme makes Gold Fields wellplaced
to successfully navigate this
new environment.
In addition, we have significant
experience in working in frontier
areas and have a proven track record
of establishing exploration activity
safely and with the support of host
communities and regulators. Our socioeconomic
development programmes
(p158) are closely informed by our
extensive community engagement
processes (p156), helping ensure
strong support for our activities.
Gold Fields has also developed a
strong and entrepreneurial exploration
competency that has helped us
grow both the quality and breadth
of our exploration portfolio. We have
achieved this against the backdrop of
a general decline in gold discoveries
within the industry as a whole over the
last 20 years.
1.2.6 Promoting
‘sustainable gold’
Our Visions and Values require
that we demonstrate the utmost
responsibility in everything we do.
This is not only the right approach, it
is also the prudent one. Our long-term
operational and strategic performance
is highly dependent upon the effective
management of our social, economic,
environmental and safety impacts. It
is also important for us – as well as
our peers – to protect the moral and
ethical value of gold itself.
Driving development through
profitable and responsible business
We are proud of the contribution
we make to the development of
our host countries – and to our
local communities. Above all, this
contribution highlights the integrated
nature of business sustainability.
Gold Fields must remain profitable
if we are to continue to generate
revenues, employ local people, build
local capacity and contribute to
national economies. This has been –
and will remain – the most important
contribution a company can make to
local and national development.
This is most marked in Ghana, where
our operations are estimated to
contribute up to 3% of national GDP.
At the same time, it is important that our
pursuit of profit is underpinned by the
full application of our Values. This is not
only a moral imperative, but it is integral
to ensuring that we manage our risks,
protect our reputation, maintain our
social licence to operate and secure
long-term shareholder value.
Converting mineral wealth into
national wealth
The possession of mineral wealth will
only translate into national prosperity
when the right regulatory and political
conditions are in place. In too many
cases, these conditions have been
lacking. This dynamic – often known
as the ‘resource curse’ – has often
resulted in the undermining of other
economic sectors, economic instability
due to fluctuations in commodity
prices, corruption and – in the worst
cases – political instability.
There is nothing inevitable about
such outcomes. With the right public
policies and transparent governance
in place, mining can be a huge force
for good.
|
Operating costs (incl. procurement and contractors) |
1,924 |
|
1,479 |
|
1,395 |
|
|
Salaries |
1,027 |
|
784 |
|
708 |
|
|
Payment to capital providers |
243 |
|
181 |
|
230 |
|
|
Payments to government |
312 |
|
249 |
|
159 |
|
|
Socio-economic development (SED) spend |
67¹ |
|
11 |
|
14 |
|
|
Total economic contribution |
3,573 |
|
2,704 |
|
2,506 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating costs (incl. procurement and contractors) |
14,087 |
|
12,466 |
|
11,442 |
|
|
Salaries |
7,514 |
|
6,612 |
|
5,804 |
|
|
Payment to capital providers |
1,776 |
|
1,525 |
|
1,889 |
|
|
Payments to government |
2,281 |
|
2,098 |
|
1,307 |
|
|
Socio-economic development (SED) spend |
490¹ |
|
93 |
|
115 |
|
|
Total economic contribution |
26,148 |
|
22,794 |
|
20,557 |
|
1 C2010: Includes SED projects as per definition on p156 Given the current – and potentially
longer-term – boom in gold prices,
producer countries face a real
opportunity to harness enhanced
public revenues and further drive
national development.
In essence, this means turning the
traditional ‘resource-curse’ into
a ‘resource opportunity’. This is
particularly evident in Ghana, Mali and
Peru. These are countries in which
Gold Fields is mining or exploring,
and which are broadly utilising their
mineral wealth to make significant
investments in their own socioeconomic
development.
Sustainable Development
Beyond our direct economic
impact, we also make an important
contribution to key stakeholders,
including our employees and local
communities, through our Sustainable
Development Framework.
Within the Sustainable Development
Framework, safety remains our overarching
priority in all that we do. As we
have said before – and will continue
saying into the future: If we cannot
mine safely, we will not mine.
We are setting ever more aggressive
safety targets in order to move closer
to our ultimate goal of ‘Zero Harm’.
Over the past four years we have made
significant progress in this respect,
particularly in terms of fatal injuries.
These have fallen from 36 in C2007 to
31 in C2008, 26 in C2009 and 18
in C2010. We are determined to
continue the improvement in this trend
along the path to our ultimate goal of
‘Zero Harm’.
In our international regions, we are
aiming to improve our key safety
indicators by 20% during C2011. In
South Africa, where the safety base
is lower, we are aiming for a more
aggressive target of 25%. Our efforts
are closely aligned with our holistic
employee wellness programme
(‘24
Hours in the Life of a Gold Fields
Employee’), which addresses pressing
challenges such as HIV/AIDS, housing,
recreation and sport, stress and
nutrition (p154).
We also consider it to be a core priority
to limit the environmental footprint
of our operations. This requires a
proactive stance that goes beyond
strict adherence to environmental
legislation and places emphasis on
the implementation of best practice
in areas such as water treatment and
mine closure planning. In addition,
rising energy costs and growing
concerns about the effect of climate
change have elevated the importance
of energy efficiency and carbon
management at Gold Fields. Our
efforts to improve our energy efficiency
have already led to a 14% reduction
in our electricity consumption at our
South African mines since C2008,
improvements that will continue. In
addition, global social and political
pressure is being maintained on
companies to address climate change
– including through the application of
carbon regulation.
Both the disclosure of our carbon
footprint and our actions to mitigate
our emissions have been recognised
as industry-leading by the global
Carbon Disclosure Project (p85).
The promotion of local socio-economic
development has a direct operational
and strategic impact in terms of our
‘social licence to operate’. This is
one of the reasons we spend up to
10% of our exploration budget on
socio-economic development (SED)
initiatives. This reflects our philosophy
that sustainability starts at the front
end of our business. All our operations
are contributing to the development
of local businesses and promoting
alternative livelihoods through direct
interventions and training. In all
cases, the emphasis is on making
these projects self-sustaining, without
ongoing donor funding.
Education is the cornerstone of
development in any economy – and
especially in ones where business
can flourish. As a result, our focus is
on the ongoing promotion of a local
community ‘skills pipeline’ – including
support for schools, the provision of
professional training and the targeted
recruitment of local people. Our
extensive bursary schemes, external
training programmes and direct
sponsorship of mining schools in
South Africa, Peru and Ghana support
this objective (p166).
Finally, we aim to promote responsible
behaviour across the broader gold
value chain through our active
support of the World Gold Council’s
Responsible Gold programme (p176). By doing so, we aim to promote the
spirit of our Values more broadly within
the gold sector – and ensure that gold
is identified with the highest standards
of responsibility, sustainability and
ethical conduct.
1.2.7 The external
environment
The global mining industry is facing
a number of common challenges
that cut across commodity-type and
every area of mining companies’
performances – in terms of their
strategy, operations, sustainability or
financial health.
Political and regulatory challenges
Ensuring that mining can continue
to play a positive development role
relies not only on responsible and
transparent use of mining revenues
by governments – but also on their
provision of a sound and commercially
viable business and regulatory
environment. This is particularly
important in a sector where large
investments are often made over
decades rather than years.
However, we are increasingly
witnessing a high, and rising,
level of activity that impacts on
our operations in all the countries
in which we operate. There is a
widespread perception within the
mining sector that ‘external’ risks –
from governments, communities, trade
unions and NGOs – are on the rise.
This includes, for example:
- Pressure for the implementation
of heavier mining taxes in a range
of countries
- Politically and socially-driven
restrictions on company ownership
- Calls amongst certain political
quarters for the nationalisation of
mining companies
- Pressure on mining companies
to ‘fill the gap’ left by inadequate
public services
Whilst Gold Fields is committed to the
implementation of its Values, we
also have a responsibility to maintain
our ongoing commercial viability.
Although this responsibility is
primarily owed to our shareholders,
it is also owed to a range of other
stakeholders whose fortunes are
inextricably linked to our own.
This ultimately includes the
governments for whom we generate
revenues, the communities we
support through our socio-economic
development programmes and the
people we employ.
It is within this context that many of
these external pressures need to
be viewed. It is thus incumbent on
Gold Fields to engage constructively
with our host governments and other
relevant stakeholders to ensure
the most positive and sustainable
outcomes for all involved. Key to any
discussion, however, is the need to
ensure the long-term sustainability of
the industry.
Fiscal environment
One of the most prominent
challenges has been a hardening
fiscal environment in many producer
countries. This has been a particular
issue where governments seek to
shore up their balance sheets in the
context of the global economic crisis
and high commodity prices. In its
2010 survey of 3,000 mining-related
companies, for example,
Canada’s Fraser Institute found
that government attitudes towards
mining had become more hostile
in 41 of the 51 countries covered.1
This has manifested itself in increases,
or proposed increases, in new taxes
and increased royalties.
1 Fraser Institute, Survey of Mining Companies
2009/10 - 2010 Mid-Year Update
This includes all of our host countries,
as demonstrated by:
- Attempts in Australia to impose
the Resource Super-Profit Tax in
May 2010
- The imposition of higher royalty
rates in March 2011 in Ghana
- The forthcoming Carbon Pollution
Reduction Scheme in Australia
- An anticipated carbon tax in
South Africa
- New royalty payments in
South Africa
As a result, we are in close and
constructive engagement with our
host governments on the costs posed
by heavier fiscal regimes (p174). This
includes clear communication around
the broad social and economic benefits
that responsible and sustainable gold
mining can bring to these countries and
their communities.
Currency fluctuations
Mining companies carry out major
transactions – including the sale of
their products – in foreign currencies.
As a result, they are sensitive to
currency fluctuations. The US dollar,
which is used for the majority of
international transactions, has
weakened over C2010 against a range
of currencies amid concerns around
US$600 billion of quantitative easing,
low interest rates and potential inflation
in the United States. This has reduced
the operating margins of many mining
companies with operations outside the
United States, as their costs (generally
generated in local currencies)
increase in relation to the value of
their sales (generally carried out in US
dollars). It has also reduced the value
of both US investments and debts.
For Gold Fields, the impact of the
weaker US dollar has been significant
given that 54% of our revenue is
converted into Rands and 16% into
Australian dollars. During C2010, the
Rand strengthened by 13% against
the US dollar bringing its appreciation
for the two years since January 2009
to 30%.
Similarly the Australian dollar rose
by 17% against the US dollar during
C2010. The appreciation of these
currencies against the US dollar has
negated much of the rise in the US
dollar gold price over the same period.
This dynamic has reinforced our
commitment to tight cost controls. On
occasion, we have taken out currency
hedge positions, but these have been
for a short, fixed period. No material
currency hedges were undertaken in
C2010. The company has, however,
completed a US$1 billion 10-year fixed
interest rate bond issue, which will
significantly reduce our exposure to
higher interest rates.
Transparency in the value-chain
Globally, there has been increasing
pressure for transparency around
mineral value-chains. This includes, for
example, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street
Reform and Consumer Protection Act in
the United States. The Act requires all
United States and foreign companies
registered with the US Securities and
Exchange Commission to report on how
much they pay governments to access
minerals, and to disclose whether their
products include ‘conflict minerals’
from the Great Lakes region of Africa.
Although details around implementation
are still in development, the Act is likely
to have a significant impact in terms of
reporting and value-chain management.
We place particularly strong focus
on anti-corruption, transparency and
ethical value-chain management (p172-
175). This approach is not only needed
to ensure compliance with relevant laws
in the United States, United Kingdom
and elsewhere, but also to protect the
reputation and ethical integrity of gold
itself. Already, progress is being made
in this area through the World Gold
Council’s ground-breaking Responsible
Gold programme, of which we are a
strong participant and supporter (p176).
Nick Holland
Chief Executive Oficer
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