During last year, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) monitored 3873 dredges.
In addition, GINA reported that 374 cease-work orders were served, 1291 claims verified (land and river), and raids on night spots and bars were conducted in Regions Three and Four.
It said that during the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment’s press conference, at the Herdmanston Lodge on Wednesday to review the sector’s 2014 performance, GGMC Head Rickford Vieira highlighted that the root cause of some of the disorders can be linked to competition for available working lands. He said that this is supported by the evidence of 3,550 new applications for land claims, 949 new river claims, and 3,236 new mining privileges which were issued.
Vieira, GINA said, also noted that the GGMC responded to the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association’s (GGDMA’s) calls for auction and lotteries in 2014, and 2,065 plots were allocated. GGMC is currently addressing a call by Mahdia and Port Kaituma, for specific lotteries in those communities.
In addition, 836 dredges were registered in 2014; 2683 reviewed and 10 scrapped.
GINA said that the commission further exercised its mandate with respect to prospecting licences in Kaburi, Kopang, Cuyuni, and Puruni, for which illegal activity was evident in 70% of the cases investigated.
Other significant developments during 2014, it said, were in the areas of mineral processing demonstration, the Gold Kacha, Gold Cube and the Flotation system were demonstrated in Omai, Frenchman, Northwest District and Mahdia.
Geochemical projects were also conducted in Aruwai and Kopang, and Puruni miners benefited from technical help with gold particle size analyses.
Vieira added that massive clean-up exercises were also done in Port Kaituma, Puruni and Olive Creek.
Reclamation work done in St. Elizabeth, Mahdia and Potaro was monitored and a national action plan for mercury was also created.
The commission also had oversight to $1.1 billion in road works in Micobie, Tumatumari, and Matthews Ridge to Baramita, Puruni, Tamakay and other areas, Vieira said.
New GGMC offices were also established at Lethem, Olive Creek, Aranka, Eclipse Falls, and Bartica to a cost of $200 Million.