May 6 (Reuters) - AngloGold Ashanti ( AU ) and

Gold Fields have agreed to pause talks to merge their

neighbouring Tarkwa and Iduapriem mines in Ghana, the companies

said on Tuesday, two years after announcing the plan.

The plan to combine the two mines, which would have created

Africa's biggest gold mine, had not been advanced, with the

Ghanaian government still to make a decision on whether to grant

regulatory approval.

"The companies have decided to pause discussions around the

joint venture to allow them to focus on improving the current,

standalone performance at their respective sites," AngloGold

said in a statement.

Gold Fields said in a separate statement that while a

combination of the two mines remained "compelling", the two

miners would continue focusing on their respective operations

"on a standalone basis".

Under the joint venture plan, Gold Fields and AngloGold

would have owned 60% and 30% of the merged operation,

respectively, with the government holding 10%.

The joint operation had been forecast to produce an average

900,000 ounces annually over the first five years and 600,000

ounces a year over the estimated 18-year life of the mine.