REUNION Manganese Incorporated has been investing heavily in Guyana’s economy since the launch of its operations here in 2010. According to the company, the following figures were spent since commencing operations locally: $743,142,800 on wages and salaries; $23,728,636 on NIS contributions; $150,756,702 on income taxes paid to government (national and foreign employees); $157,719,500 on purchasing local services — fuel, food, supplies and other expenses; $619,753,816 on infrastructural development (roads, airstrip, water); $15,842,618 on Pakera House; and $15,820,300 on donations to hospitals, schools, social programmes etc.
Chief Operations Officer Joachim Bayah said that some US$5 million had been spent during the first six months of the company’s operations in the Matthews Ridge area. “We started this programme to spend, over a five-year period, US$5 million; and we easily spent US$5 million in the first six months.”
In September 2010, the company obtained four prospecting licences to conduct exploration and development activities related to manganese extraction in the North West District of Guyana over an area of 45,729 acres within and around the former manganese mines at Matthews Ridge and Pipiani, which closed in 1968.
Reunion Manganese Inc. is a subsidiary of Canada-based Reunion Gold Inc., and its aim is to explore for gold and other minerals in the Guiana Shield.
The company’s operations at Matthews Ridge are not novel, as manganese mining occurred in that area in the 1960s. The company is currently operating in an old mine, as there are lots of pit walls and scraps that were left behind from old operations. The old mine was closed as a result of low manganese prices and political uncertainty.
Reunion Manganese Inc is also continuing its trenching and drilling exercise. Trenching continues on the former mine pits to outline and confirm continuity of mineralisation. Drilling, on the other hand, is done to confirm dept potential within the trenched zone. Some 35 holes have been drilled so far.