CANADIAN based gold exploration company Mahdia Gold Corporation, with properties in Region 7 Cuyuni/Mazaruni), announced last week that it has started alluvial/surface mining operations at Omai.  Mahdia Gold and its joint venture partner, Roraima Investment & Consulting Services (Guyana) Inc., had previously announced that they were looking for an initial rate of production of 300 ounces of gold per month.
In an update last week, Andre J. Douchane, President and Chief Executive Officer, said that unseasonably wet weather and deteriorated road conditions had caused a two-week shipment delay but once all the parts were on site, assembly and start-up progressed rapidly and operations are currently underway.
The dredging operation is going on in the Wenot East alluvial target, located within the Roraima mining permit area (the “Roraima Area”) where Mahdia Gold completed its alluvial test programme earlier this year.
Douchane said that due to the small size of the starter pond, the mine has begun operations at half capacity with one six inch dredge.
As the dredge pit expands, an additional six inch dredge (already in place) will be brought on line.
With four sluices operating, the hourly production/processing rate is anticipated to be 100 tonnes per hour.
The two six inch dredges will further enlarge the dredge mining area to enable Mahdia’s joint venture partner, Roraima Investment & Consulting Services (Guyana) Inc., to install a sixteen inch floating dredge, Douchane disclosed.
This floating sixteen inch cutter head suction type dredge, capable of mining up to an estimated 200 tonnes per hour, is refurbished and scheduled to be shipped to the site by April.

Financing available, the floating dredge will be matched with an upgraded, and much larger, process plant; otherwise, extra sluices will be fabricated and used temporarily, Douchane said.
Roraima had said it is planning to scale up to 400 TPH by July 1, 2014.
Historically, the central Guyanese region, where Mahdia Gold is now operating, was made popular by the Omai gold mine.
This mine produced approximately four million ounces of gold from two open pits.
Mahdia Gold Corp. acquired gold bearing concessions in the area a few years after Omai Gold officially closed its operations in 2005.
Mahdia Gold has indicated that historical data suggests that Omai still contains significant gold deposits.
The 534 acre area was previously mapped as a paleochannel (an ancient riverbed) with maximum depths to around 25 meters
Recent test results at this area confirmed the presence of gold in all size fractions, Mahdia Gold had previously announced.