AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. (ANG), the biggest African producer of the metal, started up mines as the industry and unions neared a deal to end a wave of South African strikes. More than 90 percent of workers are back at the Kopanang and Great Noligwa sites and a first shift has returned to Moab Khotsong this morning, Alan Fine, a company spokesman, said today by phone. While 16,500 staff were still out yesterday, “there are signs that some more workers are going back.� AngloGold, which gets about a third of its output in South Africa, shut all its sites in the country last month as workers struck for higher pay. The company and its peers improved a wage offer last week after unauthorized stoppages led to about a 40 percent drop in national gold output, hurting the economy. Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI), Harmony Gold Mining Co. and Anglogold agreed in principle on a deal and plan to sign an accord Oct. 25, the Chamber of Mines said in a statement late yesterday. The Chamber, an industry body that negotiates on behalf of employers, met labor groups including the National Union of Mineworkers after the offer was improved last week. The strikes, which began in the platinum industry and spread to gold, chrome and iron-ore operations, have hurt companies already grappling with rising costs. Workers have walked out without heeding legal resolution procedures, leading producers to dismiss or threaten to dismiss employees. Collective Resolve “Today’s discussions were positive and there is a collective resolve by all the parties to end the unprotected action as soon as possible,� Elize Strydom, the Chamber’s chief negotiator, said in yesterday’s statement. As many as 46 people died in August, including dozens shot by police, as workers protested at Lonmin Plc (LMI)’s Marikana platinum complex before the company agreed to wage increases of as much as 22 percent last month. Strikes at AngloGold have now entered their fifth week, with the company losing about 32,000 ounces a week, Chief Executive Officer Mark Cutifani said on a call with investors yesterday. Before the unrest, the company had expected to reduce the size of some mines within five years as resources were depleted, according to the CEO, who said that “areas that were marginal in the first place will be under extra scrutiny.� AngloGold issued a “final call� for all striking employees to return by midday tomorrow. Those who don’t will be dismissed, the company said in a statement yesterday. To contact the reporter on this story: Paul Burkhardt in Johannesburg at pburkhardt@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: John Viljoen at jviljoen@bloomberg.net

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