…says over 44 acres of mined-out land reclaimed so far

THE Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) is considering a possible increase in the fees for reclamation of lands which have been mined-out.

According to the Mining Regulations of 2015, which applies to all categories of mining; large, medium and small; 225(1) “subject to 271 (3), every holder of a mining licence, prospecting permit or mining permit shall lodge an environmental bond in Form 19 in the schedule thereof in favour of the commission, for an amount to be determined by the commission. If or when mining lands are abandoned, the GGMC would use the bond for mine reclamation.

Head of the Environmental Division of the GGMC, Carlos Todd, said miners have to lodge a fee of $100,000 to the commission. This bond is used by the GGMC to repair (reclaim) the mined-out land, a task which miners should have taken up. “We know the bond is not enough at the moment and there are studies being done to come up with a suitable figure of what should be lodged as the reclamation bond,” said Todd during his remarks at GGMC’s stakeholder engagement on mainstreaming mines restoration in Guyana`s extractive sector, at Herdmanston Lodge on Tuesday.

Reclamation is done by to making land usable again by planting trees, refilling mining pits and clearing waterways which were blocked. Commissioner of the GGMC, Newell Dennison, said so far sites at Linden, Mazaruni, Mahdia and other areas, totalling approximately 44 acres, have been reclaimed through the GGMC’s process.
“Expenditure has been roughly about $100 million over the last three years and the commission is committed as a priority to maintaining the thrust and energy of this activity,” said Dennison.

The whole idea of this project was to scientifically manage the aspects from the end of mining to the reclaiming of areas, mapping of same and creating a blueprint that could replicate the precious landscape. “I recall the huge task confronting the issue of reworking these places…the context at the time was why we should reclaim land when the chances are the area would be disturbed again by mining because of less than efficient process and of course when the economic viability to the area is returned persons would revisit,” said Dennison, adding that he applauds the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Board of GGMC for embracing the mainstreaming of reclamation efforts as a continuing priority.
The reclamation activities which the commission has undertaken demonstrate the commitment of GGMC to give effect to the United Nations (UN) Convention to Combat Desertification and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. “We all together need to minimise and mitigate the impact on the environment for mining and invest in potential after mining value chain,” he said.

In addition, Dennison said while the commission continues with environmental education and awareness campaigns, they must not lose sight that reclamation is part of the law.
In the year 2016, the GGMC through the Ministry of Natural Resources, was given a clear directive to ensure the mainstreaming of land reclamation within Guyana`s extractive industries. The GGMC, with the oversight and approval of the Ministry of Natural Resources, has made notable progress in the mainstreaming process. Land reclamation has since been integrated into the agency’s annual work programme.

Working jointly, the GGMC, through the reclamation unit, has being keen on pursuing a harmonised and a multi-stakeholder approach towards environmental management, policy development and problem solving pertaining to land reclamation.
In advancing this directive, the GGMC through its reclamation unit, continues to focus on education as the main building block for stakeholders’ compliance.