Miners thrilled with Matthews Ridge manganese find

Jul 23, 2013 News

– Canadian company plans US$233M investment

The local mining association yesterday said that it is thrilled over news that a manganese exploration company has found large quantities of the ore in Matthews Ridge, Region One.

Reunion has already refurbished the staff house at its mine site.

According to the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners’ Association (GGDMA), the announcement by Reunion Manganese Inc, one of its members, on its positive pre-feasibility and mineral reserves on its Matthews Ridge project, comes at a time when local miners are encouraged to seek and explore the potential of other mineral resources such as rare earths, industrial minerals and semi-precious stones.
“GGDMA welcomes this news as it bolsters the local mining industry at a time of falling gold prices on the international market. This project will add to the local employment market and contribute to the local economy in the near future.”
On July 12, last, Reunion Gold, the Canadian parent company, said that its pre-feasibility studies have indicated proven and probable mineral reserves of 26.3M tonnes of manganese with an average grade of 14.2 per cent. Reunion is planning an open pit mine and conventional washing and gravity plant processing 2.8M tonnes of ore per year and production of 750,000 tonnes of manganese concentrate per year over a 10-year mine life. It will invest an initial US$233M
David Fennell, Executive Chairman of Reunion, stated, “The completion of the Matthews Ridge Project pre-feasibility study is an important milestone for the company. The study indicates the viability of the Project.
Matthews Ridge could become a significant manganese producer at a site close to the North American and European markets. Reunion intends, subject to available financing, to carry out the work for the completion of a full feasibility study, which will include defining manganese resources from satellite deposits, targeting a production decision in the second half of 2014.”
Production is scheduled over a period of 10 years. The average annual production rate is 2.8M tonnes of ore fed to the process plant. An additional amount of US$24.9M would be required in sustaining capital over the life of the mine.
The Matthews Ridge Project consists of four prospecting licences covering an area of 185 km2 located in Northwest Guyana, in and around the former Matthews Ridge mine.
Manganese ore was mined from 1960 to 1968 by a subsidiary of Union Carbide and exported via railroad and the Port Kaituma port.
Manganese deposits have been defined at the Matthews Ridge footprint along a series of nine hills extending for 15 km, of which five were previously mined.

An old locomotive used to haul manganese from the mines to Port Kaituma in 1960s.

Ongoing exploration is focusing on the Arakaka Prospect, which is the eastern extension of the footprint, the North Prospect, which is 5 km to the north of Matthews Ridge, and the
Pipiani Prospect, which is located 60km to the southeast of Matthews Ridge and was already drilled by the previous mine operators.
Reunion is planning for the concentrate to be transported by road trains to a storage facility on a fluvial berth at Port Kaituma capable of loading ocean going barges, using logistical concept already practised by the previous miners of Matthews Ridge.
Current plans are to send the concentrate to a trans-shipment facility in Trinidad, where it would be loaded on dedicated bulk carriers.