New gold mine likely to open soon in Rupununi
Guyana Chronicle
July 20, 2004
ROMANEX Guyana International, a subsidiary of Vanessa Ventures Mining for large-scale mining in the Marudi Mountain in Region Nine (Upper Essequibo/Upper Takutu), is likely to soon get the go-ahead to begin operations with the granting of an Environmental Permit by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
An EPA source told the Chronicle yesterday that the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB) has studied the findings of a report on an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) carried out by a consultant and is in the process of drafting the permit to mine for gold in the area.
The permit is to be finalised but EPA officials yesterday could not say exactly when this will be issued.
An official from the mining company yesterday said they believe most of the requirements for the permit to be issued were being met and were waiting for the process to be completed by the EPA.
The permit would be subject to the EIA, but will have certain conditions that would have to be met according to the prescribed measures within a given time frame.
The EPA had forwarded comments on aspects of the report in which it had reservations, and these were being addressed by the consultant doing the EIA, the source said.
The Canadian-owned concession is located in the eastern portion of the Marudi Mountain, some 40 miles from Lethem in the Rupununi.
The firm expects an annual yield of 40,000 ounces of gold, worth US$1.5M from the concession, according to the official.
The investment of US$1.5M to US$7M is for a period of seven years. Small amounts of silver will also be produced, the official said.
Vanessa Ventures Mining held a series of meetings in the various communities and had contracted labour from the South Rupununi with the aim of upgrading bridges leading to their gold prospecting concession.
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 near the proposed area are Aishalton, Krowdar and Lumedpaw, Achiwib, Marunawa, Waruwaunawa, Shea and Kuiwini.
The official said the EPA in recent months consulted local leaders and presented a draft of the EIA done of the area to them.
Vanessa Ventures Limited proposes to use a fort floating method of gold ore recovery and processing
In the draft EIA, the company said no harmful substances or chemicals would be used in the mining or processing of gold, the official said.
The mine would have a 97-person workforce that is 95% Guyanese with residents given priority.
According to the official, the company has some mining equipment already in the country and this is being used by Vanarde Mining Inc, also a Vanessa subsidiary.
This company does gold and diamond mining in the Potaro River.