THE Guyana Gold Board has invested $18M in a plant to burn gold as it takes critical steps to prevent mercury from escaping into the atmosphere as was the case at its previous Brickdam, Georgetown location.

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, on Friday, had a tour of the facilities at the Gold Board’s new Crown Street, Queenstown location. It was during the tour that the Guyana Gold Board General Manager Eondrene Thompson and Chairman Gabriel Lall informed Minister Trotman of the mechanisms being put in place. They were supported by ACTLABS General Manager Kevin Gomez. Gomez said that the processing plant in the form of a “scrubbing system” is an upgrade from what existed at the Gold Board’s laboratory which was found in the compound of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), explaining that the old system had one check-point, while the current one is a three tier system.

The scrubbing system is a modern technology which removes vapor-phase mercury from the gas stream by contact with scrubber liquid containing an oxidant chemical. Though it has already been set, Gomez noted that the scrubbing system is being tested to ensure that it is completely safe. “We are looking at the system to ensure that it is 100 per cent safe to burn gold,” Thompson added noting that at this stage of testing it is unclear when the system will be ready for full operation.

She told Minister Trotman that the Gold Board has taken a decision to purchase only smelted gold because the scrubbing system is not fully tested as such clients with sponge gold were turned back. Smelting is a chemical process in which the raw gold is separated from the mercury when heat is applied. Smelted gold, as such, is purified and free from mercury as against sponge gold, which contains mercury.

She noted that although smelted gold is already processed, the Gold Board re-burns it for testing purposes. “Why we re-burn it is to ensure that it is gold and there is nothing (else) inside…So when the gold comes in we have to burn it back to ensure that we have gold there,” she explained. While disclosing that the facilities were also inspected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Friday, the Gold Board General Manager said she urged the EPA officials to closely monitor the gold dealers, who engage in the selling and buying of gold, closely.

Weighing in on the matter, Lall assured that the Gold Board will do all in its powers to safeguard “We are emphasising to you again that the Minister has authorised us to spare no effort, to spare no expense to make sure not only that we overcompensate but that we make sure that this thing is safe and healthy for everybody that comes in contact, community, the public, the staff, and we take that very seriously,” he told reporters.
During the tour, Minister Trotman told reporters that he is pleased that the Guyana Gold Board is not settled having gone through a very disruptive episode in recent months. He said based on an evaluation done by a U.S team through the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the new Queenstown facilities were appropriately established and safe for operation.

“The report says that they are satisfied with what we have put in place,” the Natural Resources Minister told reporters. He made it clear that the Gold Board does not utilise mercury noting that it is obtained during the processing and testing of the gold.
“People bring their gold to sell. The gold is tested by burning it, and it is in that process if mercury is obtained in it, that mercury may be emitted,” Minister Trotman pointed out. He said it is clear that the root of the problems lies in the use of mercury for the mining of gold. “Ultimately we are continuing to work with the miners in the main, who have been the ones who use the mercury, it is not the government, so that is an ongoing process. We are getting support from Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund and the UN and our intention is to reduce to a minimum the use of mercury in Guyana, and hopefully one day with the miners we can come to a place that we no longer have to use mercury because we found a viable alternative to mercury for the recovery of gold,” he told reporters.

The building in Crown Street, Queenstown is being rented for $1.2M a month, however, it is the hope of the Board that the Government is in search of a plot of land that would allow for a permanent arrangement.

On the issue of Health and Safety, Minister Trotman said he has asked the Chairman of the Gold Board, the Chairman of GGMC Board, and their General Managers to form a committee along with the Ministries Natural Resources, Health and Social Protection to monitor the situation.

An external consultant will also be hired, he added. “We are not going to leave it to ourselves to regulate ourselves,” Trotman said. It will take approximately $9M monthly to operate the Queenstown Gold Board office, and though the new cost is more than what it is the norm, the officials said it is necessary for the health and safety of all involved.