Newmont Mining Corp, the world's second largest gold producer, said it reached first million ounces of gold sales at its Ahafo mine in Ghana in 2008 and expects a similar performance in 2009.

Jeff Huspeni, Newmont's senior vice president for African operations, told a mining conference in Cape Town the mine produced just over 520,000 ounces last year at a cash cost of $408 per ounce, the second-lowest in the industry.

'We are only in our second year of full production but in that year we achieved our first million ounces of gold sales,' he said on Tuesday. 'We produced just over 520,000 ounces last year at a cash cost of $408 per ounce ... We expect a similar performance in 2009.

Last month, AngloGold Ashanti Limited agreed to sell its indirect 33.33% joint venture interest in the Boddington Gold Mine in Western Australia to Newmont Mining Corporation for an aggregate consideration of up to approximately US$1.1 billion.