The Zijin Mining Group Company Ltd, the new owner of the Aurora Gold Mines Inc. (AGM), is currently hiring as it prepares to restart mining operations and has committed to abiding by government policies during recent introductory meetings with senior government officials of stakeholder agencies in the mining sector.
Zijin Mining Group is one of the largest gold, copper and zinc producers in China. The company has rich experience in prospecting, construction, mining, metallurgy and operation of gold mines.
In a press statement issued yesterday, AGM noted that General Manager Victor Wu and a team recently held meetings to discuss mining related issues. The statement revealed that the team met with the Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Joslyn McKenzie, Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission Newell Dennison, Deputy Commissioner Dianne McDonald and Mining Manager Krishna Ramdass. Additionally, the team met with General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board Eondrene Thompson and Chief Labour Officer at the Ministry of Labour Charles Ogle.
According to the statement, the AGM executives spoke of the goals and objectives of the company under Zijin’s management and their confidence of building up the Aurora Gold Mine in Region Seven into a leading project benefitting Guyana.
“Mining for a better society is Zijin’s principle and mission,” the statement quoted Wu as saying.
As new entrants into the local mining industry, the new team committed to abide by government’s policies and promised to observe and maintain production and mining practices to the highest international standards.
In addition, the officials committed to enforce their corporate social responsibility, while adding that they will maintain and improve an active safety culture by practicing new and improved methods in occupational health and safety and in safeguarding the environment.
Further, according to the statement, they discussed the hiring of employees in keeping with labour laws and regulations even as the statement later revealed that they are currently hiring employees as they prepare for restarting of operations.
“The AGM team is currently conducting an evaluation exercise and assessment of the current state of affairs, and hiring employees as the company moves to restart operations which was suspended in July before the sale of the company from Guyana Goldfields to Zijin,” the statement said.
Zijin Mining Group acquired AGM in August and subsequently signaled that it would retain somewhere between 200 and 300 of its former employees as it prepares for another major expansion next year.
“The new CEO made a commitment that they will keep about 200 to 300 persons and from a government perspective… that was a positive move,” Bharrat told this newspaper at the end of last month.
