Chinese mining firm, Guyana Manganese Inc (GMI) has applied to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for authorisation to undertake manganese mining at Matthews Ridge, North West District, Region One.
According to an advertisement in yesterday’s Sunday Stabroek, the proposed project will entail the clearing of the forested area for the development of a surface mine with the ore to be mined through intermittent blasting and the usage of trucks and excavators.
The ore will be stockpiled and hauled directly to a processing plant where it will be fed to a wash plant to be processed and trucked to Port Kaituma – from where it will be shipped. The ad said that haul roads will be constructed using waste rocks that remains after processing for mineral recovery.
The EPA said that these activities have the potential to cause negative impacts on human health and the environment, and prevention of such impacts is a priority. However, where this cannot be achieved, appropriate mitigation and pollution abatement measures will be put in place to minimise the negative environmental impacts.
The ad said that in keeping with the EPA Act, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required before any decision to approve or reject the proposed project is taken.
As a result, members of the public are invited, within 28 days of the notice, to make written submissions to the agency, setting out questions and matters which they require to be answered or considered in the EIA.
Comments and questions can be addressed to the Executive Director of the EPA on Ganges Street, Sophia. The EPA can also be reached on telephone numbers: 225 0506, 225 5467-8, 225 5471-2 or via e-mail: epa@epaguyana.org.
GMI is a subsidiary of Bosai Minerals (Guyana) Inc which is involved in bauxite mining in Guyana. Recently, GMI was in the news after several of its workers fell ill after working in tunnels at the company’s Matthews Ridge operation. Two subsequently died. After the two workers succumbed, the Chinese government made a request for the 10 sick workers, all Chinese nationals, to be flown back home for medical attention. There have been calls for the company to be sanctioned for allowing its employees to work without the requisite protective equipment.
