Written by Clifford Stanley
OPERATION El Dorado, being undertaken to crackdown on  illegal gold mining in the country’s six mining districts, continues to net offenders, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment has reported.The ministry disclosed yesterday that teams from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) utilising the services of the Guyana Police Force and the Air Corps of the Guyana Defence Force discovered the existence of several illegal gold mining operations  present on a property that was granted  for  prospecting purposes only.

The GGMC had granted the tract of land to an applicant for the purpose of prospecting for a period of three years for gold and valuable minerals but not to be worked for profit or to be given out to lessees.
This exercise resulted from complaints from prospecting license holders and other property holders of raiding by illegal miners, including Brazilians.
The Commission said it will be taking the necessary actions against the license holder as provided under the Mining Act.
The GGMC is also reminding all prospecting license and mineral property holders to be guided by the conditions as stipulated in the licences.
The ministry said that the GGMC will continue Operation El Dorado in other mining districts with a primary focus on prospecting property holders.