Investigations into the recent pit collapse on the disputed Chinese Landing land are still ongoing, according to Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat.
Stabroek News understands that an officer from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) had visited the site following the crash and an additional team was expected to be on the ground to further carry out investigations.
Workers employed at one of the most active mining pits at Chinese Landing in the North West escaped injury and possibly death following a cave-in last Tuesday. The mining pit collapsed resulting in the destruction of machinery such as pumps and crushers, and shade tents.
A source told Stabroek News that a keen-eyed worker observed a fissure in the pit wall with falling soil and raised an alert.
“… He tell the boss and when they exit the pit and go up [to the surface] it didn’t look nice and he tell the workers close up and come out of the pit. Within about 15 to 20 minutes you hear ‘grrrhh bram,’” the source said.
He explained that the force of the shear failure destroyed everything in its path. “This thing just come and bruk up the shed, bruk up the engine, bruk up the walls, all the camp one side bruk up,” the source recounted.
Concerns were also raised over the conditions in which the workers were carrying out their duties. From all indications, they did not have the necessary safety gear.
“The reports are not accurate going out… because when the GGMC officers visit most times the workers don’t work and as soon as the officers leave they go back to working the pits. There is a lot of four-inch dredges and an increase in crushers in the mining pits,” another source stressed.
It was suggested that the constant and heavy vibration from the crushers operating could have triggered the shear failure.
The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) had urged miners to practice safety in the execution of their jobs several months ago. The mining sector, the association said, was recognised to be a high risk and hazardous industry.
The GGDMA reminded that over the years it has appealed to its members, and the general mining community, to adhere to and implement good safety practices. It stated that the role of proper and sound planning in ensuring better productivity and safety should be well recognised. It said that based on the results of various Commissions of Inquiry into mining incidents, “We believe that many of the incidents that resulted in fatalities could have been avoided with better planning.”
