LITHIUM has been discovered in Guyana and the Ministry of Natural Resources is engaging the Guyana Strategic Minerals, an entity that is responsible for prospecting for the mineral.
Lithium is a chemical element that is derived from stone. It is used in rechargeable batteries found in mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras, electrical vehicles, pacemakers, toys and clocks.
“The company has been here doing work… they have been engaged with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC)…they have been here for a while and they are currently exploring land-related matters with the GGMC,” Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, said on Saturday.
Oftentimes, the extractive sector refers to gold and diamonds, as well as oil, but precious stones are never mentioned. Additionally, Lithium carbonate or lithium salt is also used as a mood-stabilising drug.

Lithium is a chemical element that is derived from stone. It is used in rechargeable batteries found in mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras, electrical vehicles, pacemakers, toys and clocks

The minister disclosed that former Minister of Public Works under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administration, Robeson Benn, is a consultant to Guyana Strategic Minerals.
“Lithium is one of the strategic minerals in electronic appliances – cell phones and other micro- electronic applications- space explorations, capsules.
“Guyana has a possible occurrence or associated or geologic provinces for its discovery—there is a network to deliver it and an intensive search to —to find a resource that is exploitable in Guyana,” Broomes stated.
Minister Broomes said the discovery of other minerals gives hope to miners. She said while the majority of Guyanese are focused on oil and gold, she believes that there is much more to the extractive industry that can provide significant benefits to Guyana.
“People need not give up hope,” she declared as she stressed, “the industry is not about gold alone.”
‘We are not educated about some of these stones…I want people to appreciate the extractive industry for all of what it has to offer, not only one or two minerals.”
The Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources said globally, there is a growing demand for lithium.
“We are looking to work with investors to develop many of these minerals…this would really push the entire extractive industry,” Broomes told the Guyana Chronicle.
Meanwhile, Broomes, who worked as a miner before becoming a parliamentarian and minister of government, said a request has been made of the GGMC to create a database of miners. She said having an up-to-date database will ensure that GGMC, the regulating authority according to law, is in a better position to monitor miners.
Database
While the minister wants there to be specific focus on women miners, a group that has grown significantly over the years, she believes that a thorough database of miners and mining activities will prove beneficial to all.
“I would like for the database to be done before the end of the year; by the New Year, 2017, we should have a system in place…it is not hard, it is not something you have to go to university for,” she added.
The minister has stressed that a database of women miners in a male-dominated industry is also critical. She said over the years, women have been looked upon as inferior in the industry, but have shown that their strength and resilience are not inferior.
“When I founded the Guyana Women Miners Association (GWMA), there was a serious gender problem in the industry…It still exists. It is time that we know the number of women involved in the system…It can be easily done…dredge licences are renewed annually, likewise land and other related mining licences.”
Meanwhile, the minister believes that with a comprehensive database and the strengthening of systems within the GGMC, many of the processes that take long periods will be significantly shortened.
“The system is too prolonged. GGMC must have specific timelines to which they would use to deal with miners…an investigation should not take years…and persons should not always have to come to the central office; information should be available at all locations,” Broomes remarked.
Since taking office as Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources with specific responsibility for mining, Broomes said she has seen little improvement in the operations of the GGMC and its officers. She strongly believes that with proper management, things would gradually be where they ought to.
“There is little improvement within the operations of GGMC…but while it has not been significant, I have noted the changes that have taken place. On the ground, the mindset of officers has changed and they are acting differently and we are seeing results.”
She sought to assure the public that while blame has been placed on the GGMC as the body responsible for regulating the mining sector, Broomes said “there are good persons out there…some of them really work hard and try to do their jobs the right way…not all of them are to be blamed.”
Notwithstanding her position, much work needs to be done.
Safety
The minister wants more to be done to ensure that both miners and GGMC officers are safe in the hinterland regions (mining districts). She said safety must be made a priority for miners. As a former miner, the minister said she has walked the hills and valleys of Guyana and she has seen many issues relative to safety. She believes that oftentimes, miners are so caught up in consuming large portions of alcohol and ‘having a good time,’ that they party every night and go to the mining pits “drunk or high on alcohol or marijuana.”
“That is dangerous! Safety should not only be seen as technical, but practical,” she said, pointing to the prevalence of Kaimoos in mining communities as a contributing factor. “These shops are usually about prostitution, drinking and smoking…we need to have regularised shops in the mining industry,” she added.
According to her, there is a greater need for enforcement of regulations on the part of the GGMC. The minister explained that when a licence is provided to a shop- owner, certain activities are prohibited. “We can’t have miners sporting the night before and going into a mining pit…the miner would not be alert…not drunk or high.”
Safety must be put first, she said and stressed that “we have to do better than that…safety is most important” and urged dredge- owners to “put the lives of their workers first before production.”
Respect miners
That aside, Broomes believes that much more respect needs to be given to miners. She said oftentimes miners are looked down upon, but they ought to be respected as miners hold up the local economy.
“People should not always see miners in a negative light….miners are good people and I really wish they’d be respected and consideration be given to them….there are many challenges, but miners are the only people that you can go to for a job without a hassle.”
Mining has kept the economy afloat for decades, while some traditional sectors have struggled.