MANGANESE production is likely to come on-stream later this year, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman said, as he delivered a comprehensive report on Exploration and Mining in Guyana at a conference hosted by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC).
In his address during the world-renowned conference in Toronto, Canada on Sunday, Minister Trotman said the Guyanese Government is optimistic about the production of manganese in Guyana. “We are…optimistic that manganese production will come on-stream later this year in Mathews Ridge, Region One,” he posited.
In January, Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Inc. and Reunion Gold Corporation reached an agreement allowing for the recommencement of manganese production in Matthews Ridge, Region One (Barima-Waini). When that agreement was signed, it was stated that production would have started within two years, allowing for preparatory works to commence during the second half of 2017. However, Minister Trotman’s announcement on Sunday suggests that production will start way ahead of schedule.
At the auspicious event, the Natural Resources Minister said the Guyanese Government is moving to further diversify the Extractive Sector.
In giving an overview of the Mineral Sector, the Natural Resources Minister said the gold and diamond industries surpassed their targets in 2016.
“In 2016 we had anticipated declared production for gold at 550,000 ozs. I am happy to report that this figure was surpassed with a total declaration of gold production being 705,000 ozs. This is the highest gold production ever declared in a given year in Guyana, and the majority of this declaration, was made possible by hard-working miners at the small, medium and large scale levels,” Minister Trotman said.
This year, the target has been set at 700,000 ozs. Already 100,000 ozs of gold has been declared for the first two months of 2017. Diamond declaration for 2016 also saw remarkable improvement, the Natural Resources Minister noted.
“We had projected 90,000 metric cts being declared and were pleased to announce that 139,889.59 metric cts was the final declaration.”
However, the Bauxite Industry continues to face many challenges. In the past it was the country’s major export and royalties earner, but the global demand has been dwindling, thereby negatively affecting the volume of exports.
The Government, however, is optimistic that both production and royalties levels will improve in the not so distant future.
“We are currently examining the longevity of the bauxite industry and this review will include a study of the feasibility of an alumina plant; all in keeping with our focus on value added,” Minister Trotman noted.
In November 2016 the Ministry of Natural Resources developed and launched a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Framework that provides guidance to companies on priority areas in which they can undertake activities that ensure they operate in socially, economically and environmentally sustainable ways and to the benefit of the communities they operate within and around.
Additionally, the Government has been placing significant focus on the governance of the natural resources sector. Since taking office in 2015, a number of aspects of the regulations and legislation governing mining and extractive industry operations have been under review.
“We have taken governance of the sector to more international levels with the steps taken to achieve EITI candidacy. In February 2017 the Ministry hosted the launch and the inception meeting that formed the EITI Multi-Stakeholder Group that comprise of representatives of Government, Civil Society and Industry.
“Additionally, we are in the process of updating and finalising the policies, laws and regulations for our natural resources and critical pieces of legislation are the resource management framework that will include a sovereign wealth fund, tax and fiscal measures, and as well, we are addressing health, safety and environment and regulatory matters,” Minister Trotman reported.
He told the distinguished audience, that President David Granger has placed the nation on a green economy pathway. As such, while the Government is forging ahead with exploration activities within the various fields, major emphasis is being placed on the protection of the environment. As such, preservation, conservation and sustainability are the accompanying characteristics of this green economy.
“Through this strategy the government hopes to lay the foundation for the 17 UN sustainable development goals; recalling that already the country has signed on to 4 International and Regional Conventions and Agreements that propel us to consider foremost the environment we inhabit,” he explained, noting that one of the main features of the Green State Strategy is the promotion of the enabling policies to protect the country’s Natural Wealth.
“To show our commitment, we have implemented a project with the support of the Global Environment Fund (GEF) and UNDP to mainstream biodiversity through strengthening of our monitoring and implementation of biodiversity friendly practices in the Guyana gold mining sector, hopefully this will reduce biodiversity loss and maintain ecosystem functionality for the benefit of all Guyanese. More importantly, we expect companies, both already working and planning to work in Guyana to support our “green gold” initiative,” said an optimistic Trotman.
He said Government is cognizant of the scars created by abandoned and orphaned mines, and as such, as begun on mainstreaming reclamation/rehabilitation work in these mined out areas.
Present at the event were the High Commissioner of Guyana to Canada, Clarissa Riehl; High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, Pierre Giroux, Executives of Guyana Goldfields Inc., Strata Gold, Romanex, Kilroy Mining, and other mining companies actively working in Guyana.
The CEO of the Guyana Office for Investment, representatives of various companies, entities and interested partners were also present in addition to officers of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).
