Latest update February 14th, 2025 8:22 AM
WWF, GGDMA to ink $3M agreement today
WWF Guianas (WWF) and the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) are expected to sign a grant agreement today for $3M to promote environmental education and awareness among the major stakeholders in the mining sector.
According to the WWF yesterday, the primary objective of the project is to raise awareness of the negative impacts of gold mining activities on the bio-physical environment while promoting best practices available for the sector.
The project is intended to reach a wider swath of mining communities and stakeholders and will cover areas such as Potaro, Cuyuni, Mazaruni, Bartica, Tamakay, Omai, Port Kaituma, Arakaka, Aranka, Puruni, Mocha, Ann’s Grove, Wismar, and Number 58 Miles Mabura.
Small and medium scale gold and diamond mining make a significant contribution to socio-economic development in Guyana, producing 100% of the gold and diamond recovered in Guyana during 2010.
Focus in on the negative impacts of gold mining activities on the bio-physical environment
It is estimated that approximately 75,000 jobs are directly and indirectly created from gold mining activities, WWF says.
The jobs produced require little skills and investment is relatively modest. “Also, the proceeds from the sector make immense contributions to the social advancement of mining communities with respect to housing, education, health and other aspects of their livelihood.”
According to WWF, the impact of gold mining on hinterland communities is mixed. On the one hand positive development is easily observed in many areas. Jobs are created as in the case of Isseneru and Micobe, and tributes are paid to Amerindian communities for the use of their reservations by miners.
“The road network is improved, airstrips are opened, businesses and employment opportunities are created as the local service sector is developed. On the other hand, however, sedimentation of streams due to inappropriate tailings management and social interaction between miners and local communities contribute to a variety of health issues hardships and conflicts with local communities.”
These issues, including the open air burning of mercury amalgam, discarding of amalgamation tailings and mining and processing of overburden soil, can release mercury into the environment to become methylated under ideal conditions to be taken up by the biota and bioaccumulation.
In addition, occupational health and safety issues are generally disregarded by miners, contributing to fatal accidents.
“This environmental awareness programme is designed to enable individuals and communities to gain knowledge of their environment and a greater awareness of the current and potential environmental problems that can affect them and their communities. The project is also intended to equip the various stakeholders with technical capabilities that will allow them to take appropriate actions, individually and collectively, to meet the challenges posed by small and medium scale gold mining.”
WWF disclosed that having recognized the direct and indirect threats posed to miners and their communities, the GGDMA had sought financial and technical assistance from WWF to ensure that its members, other miners and relevant stakeholders are well informed and have knowledge of appropriate solutions to problems posed by gold mining activities.
“Over the past eleven years, WWF Guianas has been providing financial and technical support to the mining sector in Guyana to address a number of the challenges the sector experiences. This assistance includes: grants to government agencies to improve management of the sector, training to the educational institutions and collaborative work with other partners.”
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