Chinese mining company to start-up underground operation in November

Oct 29, 2021 News

– to bring Chinese to train locals

Kaieteur News – Aurora Gold Mines (AGM), piloted by its Chinese owner, Zijin Mining Inc., is about to commence underground mining operations next month.
At least this is what the company’s department of Corporate Office, Compliance and Government Relations, related to Kaieteur News after its local employees noticed that new living quarters were being constructed at AGM.

The underground mining site at AGM

Local workers became worried after observing this and, through the National Mine Workers’ Union of Guyana (NMWUG), they questioned “Is this an indication of a plan to import Chinese workers such as drivers and operators? Jobs which Guyanese can do and are in need of?”
The workers reportedly heard rumours circulating that the new buildings being prepared are for Chinese nationals, who will be coming to gradually replace them. Concerned that it might be true, they related their observations and fears to the NMWUG’s president, Sherwin Downer.
A letter of complaint was sent out by the union on behalf of the local employees demanding an explanation and answers.
Zijin, in response, stated that it has noted the reports of a letter of complaint emanating from a workers’ union and revealed that the new living quarters is being built to accommodate more than 150 workers in the coming months.
There are currently 1000 employees working at AGM, of which over 800 are Guyanese.
Zijin added too that the reason behind the decision to increase its work force is because “another phase of its mining operation is about to get underway”.
One of the personnel from the company’s Corporate Office explained that this next phase of operation is underground mining, and related that the new employees will comprise of both expats and locals.

The New living quarters being constructed at the mine.

The personnel said that the underground mining operation is expected to commence in late November, and explained that the beginning stages are for the construction and layout of the mine.As regards to the locals being replaced by Chinese nationals, the company official gave public assurance that this will not happen, while pointing out that one of his company’s requirement or policy is that 95% of its workforce must be local.
The Chinese nationals that are being brought in, he said, are to train the locals to do the underground mining.
He explained that currently there are no underground mining experts in Guyana and, as a result, Zijin’s parent company will be sending in five experts from China to train and work along with the locals.
The five Chinese nationals are expected to arrive in Guyana sometime in mid-November.
Zijin in its official statement that was sent to this publication assured, “We continue to invest in the development of our local workforce and recently engaged a Guyanese company to conduct a four-day Supervisory and Leadership Training session at the mining site. We look forward to future similar engagements”.
AGM was previously owned by a Canadian company, which had begun underground mining exploration operations in 2019 after receiving clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The EPA’s clearance had granted the company up to 2,500 metres of underground exploration, as well as test mining for 300,000 tons of ore and, it was reported back then, that GY$5Billion (US$25M) is expected from the first three years of exploration.
A year later, however, the Chinese company bought AGM from the Canadians for US$238M.
The company also inherited the rich deal the government had signed with the Canadians.
The deal allows Zijin to rent Guyana’s gold lands for GY$1000 per acre per year. The company also enjoys tax waivers, and is even granted the privilege to determine how much royalty it pays Guyana for its gold.
AGM is located in the Region Seven area, and it is dubbed one of the largest gold mines in Guyana and the world, with an estimated reserve of 6.54 million ounces of gold.