Canada, GGMC ink $20M agreement

Aug 24, 2011 News

– Cyanide leaching technology will improve better recovery rates

Government and a Canadian donor agency have signed a $20M agreement that will see training and technical assistance for small and medium scale miners to improve their recovery rates using cyanide leaching technology.
The signing was done on Monday at the Ocean View Convention Centre, East Coast Demerara, between Raymond Drouin, Charge d’Affaires of the High Commission of Canada and Karen Livan, Acting Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.
According to a statement from the Canadian High Commission, the contribution will facilitate the project intervention “Building

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, seated centre, with GGMC’s Commissioner (ag), Karen Livan, and Raymond Drouin, Charge d’Affaires of the High Commission of Canada at the signing.

Technical Capacity at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) for Pre-Concentration of Gold Ores and the Introduction of Cyanide Leaching Technology for Improved Gold Recovery in Medium Scale Mining”.
“The project will provide training and technical support through consultancies to oversee the setting up and linking of the equipment to form the process circuit, testing of the equipment and the circuit, pre-concentration of ore, cyanide leaching of concentrate, recovery of gold from the pregnant leach solution and destruction of cyanide.”
Drouin, in his remarks, highlighted the importance of small and medium scale gold mining, accounting for the majority of mining operations in Guyana. He lauded its contribution over the years to the development of private sector enterprises, especially in the hinterland regions, as well as to its significance in poverty reduction and its role in GDP.
The diplomat also reiterated CIDA’s support of GGMC’s continued quest for improving the sustainability in the small scale mining industry and increased education to small scale miners on cost efficient and environmentally appropriate technologies.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds in his remarks made it clear that the onus is on the miners to operate responsibly and not on GGMC.
According to Hinds, GGMC through this project is taking a good step to provide assistance to small and medium scale miners on utilising cyanide in gold recovery.
Also present at the signing were several GGMC officials including Chairman, Major General (rtd) Joe Singh and Executive Director of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Tony Shields.