A year after the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) sought partners to operate and manage two Knelson concentrator processing plants, the first is expected to be in operation by this week.
The Knelson Concentrator is a gravity concentration apparatus, mainly used in the gold mining industry for the recovery of fine particles of free gold. It does not involve the use of mercury and is said to offer a more efficient method and costs little to upkeep. However, the cost of one is expensive.
Acting Commissioner of the GGMC Rickford Vieira told Stabroek News last Monday that the technical persons are in the country and were expected to set up the plant by Thursday or Friday. By this week, the plant at Omai should be in operation, he said.
The GGMC, in seeking feasible alternatives to using mercury to recover gold, had last August invited interested medium and large-scale mine operators to submit proposals to operate and manage two Knelson Concentrator processing plants.
Last year Stabroek News had reported that the gold mining company, Mahdia Gold would operate the plant at Omai while another operator will manage the other at Waini in the North-West District. However, the arrangement for the operator of the one at Waini fell through.
While saying that the engineers would know more about it, Vieira said that the arrangement fell through because the operator wanted concessions that they could not give. He also noted that the contracts were only completed recently. “We only got the final agreement finalised a couple of weeks ago,” he said. The GGMC is now inviting expressions of interest for operating the other concentrator.
Alternatives to using mercury which can harm the environment have gained increased attention given a US ban on mercury exports from January 1. Under the auspices of the UN, countries are also negotiating a global treaty that would reduce the use of mercury. Local miners have opposed any ban on the use of mercury here and following a meeting with President Donald Ramotar last year, won assurances that there would be no ban and avenues will be explored for viable alternatives.
