Mining firm’s licence for Marudi Mountains under review

Mar 01, 2013 News

– company held on to property since ‘90s

Authorities are reviewing the licence of Romanex Guyana Explorations Limited, after investigations revealed that the company has failed to carry out exploratory works in keeping with its requirements.
According to a release from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment yesterday, Romanex was granted a licence to mine at Marudi Mountains, Region Nine, since April 17, 2009.
A site visit by officials of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), an arm of the Ministry, found no activities.
“A site visit revealed no mining or exploration on behalf of the company was ongoing, while the company had earlier committed to carrying out exploration activities within the early part of 2013. However, it is evident that no work is expected to commence on the property in the near future as no mining plan has been submitted.”

GGMC said it found several instances of illegal mining in the Marudi Mountains area, Region Nine, and has ordered the removal of several dredges

GGMC said that an investigation of illegal mining in the Marudi area was as a result from the recent Operation El Dorado.
The Marudi Mountain Mining Licence was granted to Romanex Guyana Exploration Ltd. on the 17th April, 2009, after being held as a Prospecting Licence (large scale) from 1990 to 2009 by the said company. It is reportedly over 55 square kilometres.
Miners of that Region Nine area have been locked in a battle with Romanex for a number of years now, with the matter even engaging the attention of the court.
However, most of the miners have admitted that they have been operating illegally on some of the lands under the Romanex licence.
According to one spokesman for operators in the area, Sugreem Singh, of the Rupununi Miners Association, President Donald Ramotar met with miners about two weeks ago to discuss the Marudi Mountain issue.
There are about 300 persons in the area operating.
“Yes, the persons are raiding. Some of them have been living in Marudi for 20 to 30 years. We have been asking for land. Romanex has lands that it had since the ‘90s and doing nothing with it. We are asking for lands and help. There were supposed to, under the exploration licence, give up sections of the land back to the state regularly. This has not been done.”
Yesterday, it was reported that police and GGMC officers visited the Marudi Mountain area to help clear illegal miners. However, there was no word on what transpired there.
Already, a petition with more than 200 names affixed has been sent to the government over the Romanex situation.