Latest update February 10th, 2025 2:25 PM
Trotman mulls opening of new mining lands in Rupununi
After listening to the calls of miners who were displaced from mining in the Marudi Mountain area, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, is considering to open new mining lands in Mining District six, Rupununi, Region
New Mining lands in the Rupununi may be opened soon.
Nine.
In a press statement from Trotman’s ministry yesterday, such an opening of lands could have spinoff economic benefits for the entire Region Nine and miners in particular. The option is being weighed against potential implications for Amerindian titled lands and for biodiversity conservation in the region.
Giving background to the issue, the Natural Resources Ministry said that irregular mining had threatened to pervade the Marudi Mountain area, as small miners occupied lands associated with Romanex Guyana Exploration Ltd. in 2016.
“More than 300 small-scale gold miners in and around the Marudi Mountain area had called on the government to take urgent action to regularise their operations in light of the Canadian-owned company resuming operations in the area.”
Responding to the concerns of the miners at the time, Trotman had mobilised a team to look into the matter. Following verifications, engagements and a formal mediation held between the mining company, the Rupununi Miners’ Association and the Guyana Women Miners’ Organisation, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the Ministry of Natural Resources, ordered the reactivation of the Romanex Guyana Exploration Ltd., mining licence.
The Ministry said in its statement that one of the agreed terms of the agreement is that the company, on commencement of exploration and mining, would accommodate miners seeking to mine in the area; provided that they abide by the rules of the company and the laws of Guyana. This includes the non-use of mercury in their recovery activities.
According to the Natural Resources Ministry, it remains committed to doing what is necessary to ensure that miners have a livelihood and able to work without compromising the integrity of the environment or infringing upon the rights of communities within Mining districts.
Recently, Junior Minister within the Ministry, Simona Broomes, had said that government is continuing to engage the parties involved in the matter. Miners in the area had expressed their dismay that they are not being allowed to mine in the area which has caused them to experience economic difficulties.
The miners made contact with Kaieteur News about the issue and submitted their explanation of the issue.
According to small miner, Robert Murray, the miners in the area were given assurance that they would be allowed to continue mining in the area but have since been barred from doing so by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.
The inability to mine has had a severe effect on the miners according to Murray. In his explanation, he said that residents in the area would have bought trucks and crushers to work in Marudi. He said that some persons would have even taken loans from commercial banks to finance their operations.
The miners called on Minister Trotman and President David Granger to step in and assist them in accessing the lands which were closed to them.
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