Syndicate for small miners being discussed

GINA, GUYANA, Friday, October 14, 2016

The Ministry of Natural Resources is working on the establishment of small miners’ syndicates as part of measures to make mining lands available for small miners.

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, has been given the responsibility to ensure that “these syndicates are up and running”. The announcement was made by Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman at a press briefing held today, at Cara Lodge, Georgetown.

“We are thinking, if we give 10 miners three blocks each, the culminate effect of that is a 30 block area, which a syndicate could mine far better than if they try to do it individually,” Trotman explained.

The Closed Areas Committee of the Ministry of Natural Resources has allocated some 240 mining lands to miners so far. “So we are seeing a continued request for mining lands. The idea of grouping miners together so that they could exploit the synergies, technologies and be able to help each other is something that the ministry will be focused on going into next year,” Trotman explained.

Meanwhile, the Ministry will also be exploring intergovernmental collaboration with China to develop mining technologies to boost the greening of the economy. Minister Broomes recently returned from an expo which was held in China.

Trotman said that the issue of greening of mining featured prominently at the expo and Guyana is hoping to engage the Chinese Embassy here and the miners in China to discuss areas of possible collaboration.

Reporting on gold declaration Trotman said that gold declaration has passed the projected 500,000 ounces and the ministry is aiming to have declarations get to 600,000 by December 31. “We are in an accelerated drive to get miners to declare and to work with the government to ensure that we make this historic mark,” Trotman said.

However, smuggling continues to be of concern within the mining sector. The minister said he has reached out to an international law enforcement expert to provide advice on interdiction in response to smuggling. The Ministry will also examine the redefinition of ‘scrap gold’ as part of measures to curb smuggling.

By Tiffny Rhodius