Latest update April 5th, 2025 12:59 AM
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Govt. moves to probe how mercury enters country
Government is moving to investigate how mercury is entering Guyana.
According to an advertisement in the state-owned Guyana Chronicle, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) wants to hire a short-term consultant to research the sources from which mercury enters the country “as well as its distribution networks and use in the small and medium-scale gold mining sector.”
Government is moving to investigate how mercury is being brought into the country
GGMC is the government arm that regulates the mining and extractive sector.
Mercury is a dangerous substance used in the gold mining process. Globally, there is a move to eradicate mercury, but local miners are asking for time saying there is no cheaper way to do it. Any alternatives at this time will force them out of business.
Mining companies and a number of suppliers are the ones that are supposed to be importing mercury. However, it has long been suspected, and known to a certain extent, that mercury has been smuggled from neighbouring countries, like Brazil and Venezuela. However, no hard data exists.
The hiring of the consultant is being funded from a programme of the nature conservation group, World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Mercury – also known as quicksilver – is an element found in nature in various forms. It is released into the environment through natural processes such as volcanic eruptions, the weathering of rocks, and forest fires. Mercury is also released through human activities and industrial processes.
Mercury does not break down in the environment. Instead, it is cycled between the atmosphere, land, and water, and can travel large distances from the original source. It has been found that low levels of mercury exposure can build up over time until concentrations are high enough to be harmful.
In May, WWF also released US$60,000 ($12M) to help in research of mercury use in Guyana and its alternatives. Mercury is especially used by small-scale miners.
While a global meeting has given countries a timeline to phase out the use of mercury, the Government has admitted that Guyana can ill-afford to totally ban mercury now, despite such actions by a number of countries.
According to published information, Guyana in 2011 imported over US$555,000 in mercury or roughly 156,000 kilogrammes. The demand for mercury rose even more last year as gold prices reached a high of over US$1,900 per ounce of raw gold. This year, it plunged to a three-year low but has recovered to over US$1,300.
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