Guyana seeks closer South America collaboration on Mining
From left, Dr. Luis Fernandez, Mr. Patrick Williams, Minister Robert Persaud, Ms. Sarah DuPont, Ms Khadija Musa and Mr Norman McLean
From left, Dr. Luis Fernandez, Mr. Patrick Williams, Minister Robert Persaud, Ms. Sarah DuPont, Ms Khadija Musa and Mr Norman McLean

THE Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment’s Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) is committed to exploring ways to improve current mining practices with more efficient and environmentally safe technology.

Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Mr Robert Persaud, made this commitment last week prior to the screening of a film entitled ‘Amazon Gold’ which highlighted the impact of mercury in gold mining. The event was organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Mr. Patrick Williams, Country Manager of WWF, Ms. Sarah DuPont of Amazon Gold and Dr. Luis Fernandez, Specialist on the impact of Mercury in Gold Mining also participated.
In this regard, Minister Persaud made calls for greater collaboration between South American and Amazon countries to share experiences and technologies towards suitable and environmentally safe mining practices.
He pointed out that the government has an aggressive stakeholder approach programme in keeping with the new international convention to control mercury emissions which was signed in Japan – the Minamata Convention on Mercury. The agreement is an international response to the reality that mercury pollution is a global problem that no country can address unilaterally.
Minister Persaud alluded to the fact that the Government of Guyana recognises the environmental and human health risks of mercury use and pollution and supports the implementation of a global legally binding instrument on mercury that will prohibit its production, export and use through a planned approach.
Guyana’s Mining Sector is developing rapidly in Guyana and is poised to develop even further with hydrocarbon exploration, resumption of manganese mining, increased production of bauxite and gold and the opening of new exploration for new minerals and elements such as uranium and elements of rare earth.
Additionally, the Government of Guyana through the Ministries of Education and Natural Resources and the Environment has reviewed the evidence on the factors for growth, and as such, recognises strongly the role of improved education in technical training in the mining sector.
This will be done through the Guyana Mining School and Training Centre Inc. (GMSTCI) through a grant agreement between the World Wildlife Fund, Inc. (WWF) and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to develop a curriculum of the mining school.
As such, the ministry is encouraging many miners to use Mercury Free Technology through the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA). Already a series of demonstrations were conducted using mercury free technology which has shown that a higher efficiency rate can be achieved. One of the more recognised gold miners, Correia Mining has converted their entire operation to mercury free in hope that the mining industry will begin to realise the added benefits.
Minister Persaud also expressed his appreciation to collaborate with WWF to organise a showing of ‘Amazon Gold’ for Guyana. Although Amazon Gold focuses primarily on the gold mining industry in Peru, similar comparisons could be drawn with Guyana’s mining industry. Similar to that of the Guyanese mining industry, small scale and artisanal mining is quite prevalent in Peru. Over the years the Peruvian government has struggled to curb the high deforestation and degradation rates that were attributed to mining. Amazon Gold gives us the opportunity to learn from other South American countries about devastating impacts of mining on the environment.
Guyana can learn and adopt some of the more practical initiatives that are successfully implemented. Although Guyana’s mining industry is governed by the Mining Act & Regulations which is constantly being amended, newly drafted occupational health and safety regulations, dredge tracking regulations, etc., there is much more that can be done to ensure Guyana’s mining industry remains a sustainable and viable one in the future.

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