EPA gives go ahead to Aranka gold project using Chinese-developed leaching reagent

Jul 03, 2026 News

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(Kaieteur News) – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has exempted the Aranka Gold Leaching Project, which proposes to utilise Jin Chan (leaching reagent) to recover gold, from conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

In a June notice, EPA said it screened the application submitted by Orava Mining Equipment and General Sales Inc. for the grant of an environmental permit and determined that the proposed project will not significantly affect the environment, thereby exempting the project from the requirement to conduct the EIA.

However, EPA requested an Environmental Assessment and Management Plan for the project. EPA determined that impacts from noise will be low to moderate, air quality will not be significantly impacted and biodiversity will not be significantly impacted.

The agency determined that surface water quality will not be significantly affected and there will be no direct discharge of effluent into any Creek or surface water body. “The developer will ensure that any waste produced will be recycled and reused, if possible. Appropriate disposal techniques will be implemented in keeping with the Agency’s Hazardous Waste Guidelines,” EPA said.

Jin Chan or Metallic Ore Dressing Agent is a brand of leaching reagent specifically designed by Guangxi Senhe High Technology Co LTD of Guangxi, China for the extraction of gold from ores.

According to the project summary published by EPA, Jin Chan has been developed as an alternative leaching agent to sodium cyanide. It has advantages such as low toxicity, easy handling, cheap and boasts high recovery rate.

In its notice, EPA said the use of Jin Chan as a leaching agent to recover gold from tailings material produced by past small-scale mining operations, provides an opportunity to develop gold recovery techniques that do not require the use of mercury.  The Aranka project is a pilot initiative aimed at reducing the use of mercury in Guyana’s mining sector. The agency noted that the initiative aligns with Guyana’s commitment to implement mercury-free technologies in the mining sector as part of its objectives under the Minamata Convention.

It was further noted that both the EPA and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) have agreed to the use of Jin Chan leaching in medium-scale mining operations as a means of eliminating mercury from these operations. It said the partnership aims at ensuring the oversight and implementation of appropriate safeguards to minimise environmental impacts on the surrounding environment.

According to the project summary, the Aranka Gold Leaching Project is located on the left bank of the Aranka River in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni mining district. The document identified Hufeng Chen as the company’s director.

It states that the use of Jin Chan as a leaching agent allows the company to recover gold from hammer mill tailings in the Aranka Area that would have otherwise been lost since the tailings have already been rejected by the small and medium scale miners.

“As such, there will be a financial or economic benefit from resources that would have otherwise been lost,” the company said.

The project document states that the processing facility will treat approximately 98,000 cubic metres of ore and tailings annually. The company estimates the operation will recover about 2,400 ounces of gold each year during its initial two-year production period.

Notably, unlike conventional gold processing, the project will not require milling because it will process stockpiled tailings left behind by previous mining operations. The recovered solution will pass through carbon-in-column circuits before the gold is smelted, while treated tailings will undergo alkaline chlorination for neutralisation before being placed in an engineered tailings management area.

Orava Mining said the project will directly employ 15 persons, while transportation, fuel delivery and supply services will be contracted to local businesses.

The company estimates an initial investment of approximately $466.8 million, including plant and machinery, mine development, mobilisation, licensing and working capital. The company also laid out its financial projections which includes forecast annual sales of approximately $2.05 billion, with projected after-tax profits of roughly $242 million in the first year and $446 million in the second year.

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• Aranka gold project, EPA, Jin Chan, leaching reagent, Orava Mining Equipment

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