Proposed new rules are again creating alarm within the mining industry and miners are being urged to rally to protect their interests.
The proposals “means that very few of us will be able to apply for a mining permit,” President of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) Patrick Harding told the bi-monthly meeting of the Association on Friday. He said the GGDMA has objected to the proposal which was circulated last Wednesday. “It was circulated with the intention of being implemented the 1st January, 2013 and we objected to it and it was put down for further discussion between the association, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment,” Harding told Stabroek News.
The document, “Criteria and Mechanism for the Renewal of Mining Permits (Medium Scale),’ outlines five criteria for the renewal of mining permits, including the producing of summary monthly production sheets for each month of the last year of the permit; the submission of annual reports, including complete and accurate records of the operation, accurate and systemic financial records, records of all sales, use of minerals and cost and revenues of the operation (Clause 6 of the Mining Permit); and evidence of appropriate environmental management.
Harding told Stabroek News that the criteria are “for a mining licence, not a mining permit.” He said that any miner who has a medium-scale prospecting permit and is going to mine with an excavator will have to apply for a mining licence. “This is saying that (as) of January 1, 2013 your mining licence will not be renewed unless you meet these criteria,” he said.
He said they are concerned because a large number of medium scale miners are mining with excavators and they will fall within this category.
Harding told the meeting that he objected to the regulations on behalf of the association. One miner questioned the amount of financial records requested, saying that many miners do not have the education to keep proper records. “It’s ridiculous,” he said. “It seems that they want to micro-manage everything again.”
Harding said that there was a thought “out there” that all miners are smugglers and the regulations have to be clarified and discussed but also warned miners to start getting their houses in order.
“This is not no small thing,” one miner observed calling it the “death knell” of the industry. “It doesn’t seem that many miners understand the seriousness of this thing,” he said. “I am appalled really that the miners do not really seem to know what is going on.”
Miner Raymond Khan accused the GGDMA of “taking everything lightly” and said that miners are ready to come forward but the association is not prepared to deal with it. Harding, in response, said that their support is needed, while head of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation Simona Broomes pledged her association’s support. Khan said that given the different mining organisations, miners do not present a united front and this is what the government wants. He said the issue needs to be dealt with in a strong way. Harding said the opening of large-scale mines in the coming years could present some danger in that their production will eclipse that of the small and medium scale miners. “We have to stand up now. Now we have the strength… we have to protect ourselves,” he said.
One miner suggested that the “best brains available” be co-opted and miners contribute to a fund to protect their interests. Other organisations have a common interest and it is important that they come on board, he said.
“We need to be more aggressive. We need to defend our industry. We need to take control of it,” another miner declared. “Sometimes we operate as if we are jellyfish. We need to have backbone,” he said. Another suggested that a task force be set up to look into the issues.
Other issues discussed included the non-acceptance of rental fees by the GGMC for lands claimed by Amerindians. Harding said the GGDMA has decided to seek legal counsel on this matter. The future availability of mercury used in recovering gold was also raised and Harding said alternatives were being looked at but made it clear that for now, “there’s no way legal mining can survive in Guyana without mercury.”
Last week, the GGDMA asked again for 4% of state land to be set aside for mining and Harding told Stabroek News that they will mine according to all mining and environmental regulations. “We will be responsible miners. We’re prepared to follow the regulations,” he said. Harding said that with all the regulations coming to the fore, it will be difficult now for the small and medium-scale miners to mine and they are concerned.
He said that a re-constituted Special Land Use Committee has completed its report and they are prepared to submit the part that they have reached agreement on to the minister, who will take it to Cabinet.
He added that there are also proposed amendments to the Mining Act and regulations. “We are now to look at the proposed changes, see if we agree with it and submit a report to GGMC,” he said adding that it will then be discussed further and what they agree on will be submitted to cabinet.
