The Guyana Goldfields’ Aurora Gold Mines Project (AGM) is approximately 30% completed and is scheduled for commercial production in mid-2015 the media was told on Saturday during a tour of the Cuyuni/Mazaruni site organised by the company.
Guyana Goldfields Incorporated is a Canada-based mineral exploration company which is focusing on the exploration and development of gold deposits in Guyana. The company has been operating in Guyana since 1996.
The mine plan for the Aurora Gold Mines Project is designed to produce 3.29 million ounces of gold, averaging 194,000 ounces per year, over an initial 17-year mine life.
Gurvan Saihan Joint Venture (GSJV) which comprises two companies, Graña y Montero (GyM) from Peru and Sedgman Limited from Australia was hired by AGM Incorporated to design, procure and build the facility.
According to General Manager of Operations Victor Rozon, the AGM project is right on target and is approximately 30% completed however, there are visible challenges since materials and equipment take days to arrive on site.
He related that equipment that would have arrived at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) in Georgetown would then be transferred to Buck Hall, Region 1 by barge which is contracted by “Trail Boss”, shuttled some 172 kilometres down the access road to Aurora which is shared with Barama Logging Company, then taken to Tapir Crossing and finally to the Golden Square Mile in Aurora where the mine is being constructed. The entire process takes almost 3-4 days depending on the weather conditions.
Human Resources Manager Peter Benny revealed that the site currently provides employment for approximately 650 persons which includes, Guyanese, Peruvians, Venezuelans, and Mexicans. Benny further stated that after construction is completed only 400 would remain to work in the mines and out of that 400 persons 98 per cent will be Guyanese.
As it relates to the decline in gold prices, Country Manager of AGM Incorporated Violet Smith, stated that the company is not concerned about the decline right now since it has already acquired the necessary funding to complete the project and after the completion, will deal with that issue.
