It should concern all of us that the relevant authorities appear to be unable to deal comprehensively with illegal mining. On Sunday last, this newspaper carried a report about 2 dredges that were operating illegally in the Kuyuwini River in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). In a nutshell, the miners set up their dredges in a no-mining zone and despite citations and cease orders from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) have remained there much to the consternation of stakeholders.
According to the report, a group of indigenous leaders and representatives from across the South Rupununi—the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC)—which has been vigilant in the area, had noticed one of the dredges being constructed since last December. When this was reported to the GGMC and Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman, the group was told that nothing could be done since constructing a dredge was not an illegal activity. This is quite true, but come on, no one constructs a dredge to bird-watch or sunbathe. Clearly, there was going to be mining and perhaps a warning regarding the no-mining zone at the time of the construction could have prevented it. Unfortunately, it would appear that both the GGMC and Minister Trotman prefer the reactive approach.
The problem with this, however, is that cease work orders, which are sometimes ignored, and citations are just plasters on a festering sore and do nothing to repair the damage to the environment. The mining of precious metals, and more particularly the type of mining done in Guyana, is a huge source of environmental degradation, toxic pollution and the disruption and killing of wildlife. This is not a new issue; it is one that has been ongoing for decades. What is disturbing is that with all the new information readily available today the authorities seem content with simply marking time.
When entities conduct feasibility studies to determine where to invest their resources or the GGMC holds lotteries to hand out mining permits, just how much attention is paid to the flora, fauna and people native to those areas? None. To facilitate land mining, trees and other vegetation are ruthlessly removed and deep pits are dug, or surface dredges are used to get to the ore beneath which contains rich gold deposits. No thought is given to the intrinsic value of the plant life being destroyed. No one seems to care if the birds and animals that made their homes in that area are forced out or killed, or whether their removal/disappearance might shift the balance in the ecosystem. And the natives are expected to suck it up if the mining activity forces a change in their way of life.
Similarly, with river mining, dredges suck up tons of material from the bottom or sides of rivers and creeks, disrupting and sometimes destroying aquatic life. This activity can irrevocably change the shape and life of these bodies of water, but anything to get the gold, right?
In years gone by, Guyana’s porkknockers mainly used the panning system. They would spend hours shaking their pans in areas where gold or diamonds were known to exist. Panning is actually an environmentally sound way of mining, but it is rarely used today. Both large and small-scale miners prefer dredging; it wreaks havoc on the environment but is quicker than the pan.
The concerns listed above are just part of damage. Apart from the destruction of landscapes and waterways, current mining practices also involve the use of chemicals such as cyanide and mercury. Of course, mining companies are required to build tailings dams behind which they secure their toxic waste, but there is nothing to prevent such waste from seeping into the ground or under the dam. And tailings dams have been known to fail. The Omai Gold Mines incident proved just how detrimental that could be.
Some six years ago, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association had facilitated the demonstration of a shaker table, which allows the recovery of gold without the use of mercury. At the time, the quoted cost of that piece of equipment was US$3,500 and the global market price for gold was around US$1,500 an ounce. It would be interesting to discover how many miners invested in it, particularly since as recent as last year there were concerns over mercury emissions from the Guyana Gold Board’s Georgetown laboratory. Furthermore, at least 4 GGMC workers died in quick succession last year, 2 of whom were said to have had kidney failure, and their proximity to the mercury emissions was among concerns raised.
The use of mercury to extract gold should have long been completely outlawed, given its known toxicity. Unfortunately, even after it is, it will continue to wreak havoc on human health as well as that of any area where it was used. Mercury is commonly known as quicksilver because of how rapidly it moves. But in reality, once it is heated for gold extraction it gets into the atmosphere, then moves into bodies of water where it can remain for centuries. According to a study done in 2016, the ill-effects of airborne mercury, aside from poisoning plants and fish, include kidney and brain damage, tremor, restlessness, anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance, paresthesia and numbness in the hands and feet. High doses may lead to death.
While other countries, like the US, Canada and the UK spend billions of dollars on mining clean ups, such activities are unheard of in Guyana. When an area is mined out, it is usually left as a permanent scar on the landscape. All the more reason then for proactive monitoring and to push for a complete change to environmentally sound mining.
