A MULTIMILLION-dollar quarry operation with an estimated mineable reserve of 1,500,000 tonnes is on the cards for Sakarara Point, West Bank Essequibo.

The project, which will occupy 807 acres of land, is expected to produce 353,000 tonnes of aggregate, with a high possibility of an extension in depth.

The specifics of the project were outlined by the operator, Agatash Quarry, which is owned by Atlantic Engineering Guyana Inc., a large diversified Guyanese company involved in the supply and placement of construction and building materials, timber and a variety of other industries.

“The Agatash Quarry project is intended to provide a long-term supply of high quality construction materials and boulders for sea defence in Guyana, regional and local markets,” the company said, adding: “The rocks quarried at Agatash Quarry are strongly foliated amphibolite intruded by minor biotite granite which contains exnoliths of ampibolite with heavy joining and foliation.”
This is not the first phase of mining in the project area, as there have been previous quarrying operations there.

Agatash Quarry, however, plans to establish a processing plant that will comprise a three-stage crushing and screening system.

Other aspects of the project include a port loading and offloading facility, a truck loading facility and access road, workshop and an office, among other things.

Speaking about the potential for advancement in the local quarrying industry, President, Dr Irfaan Ali, had said: “Guyana has a huge quarry potential that has been greatly underdeveloped. Our accelerated housing programme, massive highways, and community roads to be developed will increase our demand three-fold over the next five years.”

Not only will such operations address possible market shortages, they will also create direct and indirect employment opportunities for hundreds or even thousands of Guyanese.

Agatash Quarry for instance is expected to employ 28 persons, but there will be additional auxiliary staff contracted to complete medical and environmental tasks, and for security purposes.

In addition to supporting the operations to which they are attached, persons employed in the quarry industry will be contributing to the overall development of Guyana’s infrastructural landscape.

Addressing the plans for infrastructural advancement this year, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill had said that the intention is to have innovative and modern public infrastructure.

The government has allocated the largest portion of its milestone $552.9 billion Budget 2022 to the Ministry of Public Works. A total of $96.1 billion has been allocated to the ministry, which is responsible for the country’s infrastructure.

Further, the government has allocated some $76.7 billion for roads and bridges to the Ministry of Public Works in the 2022 budget.

Another component of public infrastructure is the construction of houses and the accompanying facilities to make the environment conducive to living. To this end, the government has allocated $12.4 billion for further development within the housing sector.

“With the construction boom underway, particularly pertaining to the rapid expansion in housing and road projects, the development and expansion of the other mining and quarrying sub-sector is crucial,” Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, had said.

This expansion, he related, has the potential of lowering construction costs, since the abundance of local, readily available resources could ease the impact of imported inflationary pressure on the cost of key construction materials.