CANADIAN mining company Guyana Gold Fields has placed sustainable development of local
communities and jobs for Guyanese high on its agenda.This is even as it obtains positive cash flow at its Aurora Gold Mine operations in the
Cuyuni.
Last month end, the company produced 21,093 ounces of gold, of which 14,091 ounces were
sold at an average price of US $1084 per ounce. This generated approximately US$15.3M
in pre-tax revenue, thus enabling the company to achieve positive cash flow.
At its Annual General Meeting (AGM), held at Herdmandston Lodge in Queenstown, Georgetown
yesterday, the company informed an audience that the communities within the vicinity of
its working ground have benefited and will benefit in the long run from its support.
For Guyana Goldfields, goods and services, health services to neighbouring miners and
communities, and participation in municipal development have been the highlights of the
company’s operations at its Aurora Gold Mine in the Cuyuni.
“It’s a good project, a lot of time was put into it,” Scott Caldwell, President and CEO
of the company stated yesterday. “I can’t help but think about the men and women working
in the fields,” Caldwell said, as he added: “It’s a wonderful job the team has done with
CSR”.
With reference to the company’s corporate social responsibility, the company has
integrated the social and environmental concerns into its business operations and

interactions with the community. The company has been meeting with residents in
immediate communities on a quarterly basis, and it seeks ways to assist residents
in those communities. Some projects are works-in-progress, while others are ongoing.
The company noted that it invests in projects which will work; and to this end, it will
implement programmes which will have longevity even after it leaves these shores.
GOOD WORK
As part of its community support, Guyana Goldfields has equipped a school in the area
with solar panels and computers, and computer programmes will be undertaken and
Information Technology (IT) specialists from the company will be providing training
in this regard. It has also undertaken medical outreaches, while assistance in the form
of educational items and safety gear has been provided to communities in the Cuyuni,
as well as to some villages along the Essequibo River.
As regards women in the mining sector, the company has introduced a ‘women in science
and technology programme’, wherein it will encourage women to understand how they can
relate to the mining field. This is so, the company noted, since women in the mining
field are sometimes reported as being sex workers or service providers. To this end,
technical schools such as the Government Technical Institute (GTI) have been approached
and asked to provide information as regards graduates of its programmes.
The University of Guyana (UG) has also been in touch with the company, and some five
final-year students will work on their projects at Guyana Goldfields.
LOCAL STAFF
As regards employment, 96 per cent of the staff are locals. Close to 700 employees are
on staff at the company’s Cuyuni operations, and of this number, 649 are Guyanese.
Further, there are 66 female employees at the company, and the company informed that
there are departments within the operations at Aurora, where nationals supervise the
entire operation.
As with many large mining companies, the use of chemicals, mainly cyanide, has been a
critical issue following the spill into the Essequibo River by Omai Gold Mines in 1995.
Caldwell told the gathering that the avoidance of cyanide containment is an important
aspect of the company’s operations, and the chemical is mined in very weak concentrations
.
“Everything is double-protected,” he said of the chemical. He added that there is a
detoxification system which protects the environment from the chemical in the event
of a spill. “So it’s very safe in the way we handle cyanide”, Caldwell informed,
adding that the transportation measures put in place to handle the chemical are also
of high standards.
The company operates an effective tailings management plan, while proper drainage is
according to the standards required by mining regulations. In addition, Guyana
Goldfields also pays keen attention to the environment around its operations,
whereby species of fish and animals are protected while there are ongoing evaluations
of biodiversity in the area.
Guyana Goldfields, described as the largest foreign investment in Guyana’s history,
has been operating here since 1996. It poured it first gold bar in August this year,
and with expenses running in the vicinity of US$356M to date, future investments are
key to the company’s advancement. In total, the country is expected to gain US$960M
in total revenues from the investment.
“We are committed to sustainability…we think this is a good country to work in, and
it has good revenue base,” the CEO noted yesterday.

By Alva Solomon