Marudi mine faces final environmental review
Stabroek News
June 4, 2004
The final Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Marudi Mountain Gold Mine has been submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the fate of the project would be known after the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB) holds a meeting to review the study's findings.
This is according to an EPA source yesterday, who said that the EAB would give its recommendations as to whether or not the EPA should approve the project, which is being embarked on by Romanex Guyana International, a subsidiary of Vannessa Ventures Limited of Vancouver, Canada. Based on the review of the EAB, the EPA would either issue or deny an Environmental Permit for the project. The mine is to be located in the eastern portion of the Marudi Mountain, some 40 miles from Lethem in Region Nine (Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo).
The gold mine, which is a subsidiary of Vannessa Ventures Limited, plans to have a yield of 40,000 ounces of gold - US$1.5M worth - per year. The cost of the mining operation is approximately US$5M to US$7M and is to last for seven years. Small amounts of silver would also be produced.
Vannessa Ventures Limited held a series of meetings in the various communities and is at the moment contracting labour from the South Rupununi with the aim of upgrading bridges leading to their gold prospecting concessions in the Marudi Mountains.
According to the Region Nine Regional Democratic Council (NDC), contracts have already been awarded to various southern local Amerindian communities for the construction of 15 bridges which cut across the jungle trail to Marudi. Communities close to the proposed area are Aishalton, Krowdar & Lumedpaw, Achiwib, Marunawa, Waruwaunawa, Shea and Kuiwini.