Int’l best practices to evolve sector being identified – GGDMA

Small, medium-scale mining

In an effort to help small- and medium-scale mining operators manage their businesses in a more efficient and effective manner, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) is seeking ways to introduce best international practices which can evolve the industry.
Mining in Guyana can be grouped into three broad stages – prospecting, production and closure/remediation, and focusing on development within each stage can potentially improve the efficiency and effectiveness of mining operations and, therefore, increase productivity and profitability.
But the GGDMA recognises that it is the norm for many miners to neglect the first and last stage of mining and focus on the production or second stage.
Hence, it noted that without proper prospecting, most miners normally operate on a ‘hit and miss system’ as they often proceed to mine in a haphazard manner, which would then lead to financial ruination very quickly.
The GGDMA explained that conducting some amount of basic geological exploration could help to greatly improve prospects for a positive outcome.
The Association also recommended that miners upgrade from using sluice boxes in their operations.
“Almost all small- and medium-scale miners in Guyana use a sluice box as their sole recovery equipment. A sluice can only recover gold which is free or not bonded to other minerals “(Free gold)’. Additionally, the recovery is very poor; sluice boxes recover about 40 per cent of the gravity recoverable gold; hence, 60 per cent of the gold mined is lost in the tailing produced,” the GGDMA noted.
The Association said there were a number of technologies that have much higher gold recoveries.
“Centrifugal separators such as Falcons and Knelsons and/or pulsating jigs for example are seen as the next technological step for the small- and medium-scale miner.
“This equipment can replace or be incorporated with the sluice box; however, as mentioned before, the applicability of equipment should be determined based upon the nature of the gold ore and the physical nature (shape and grain size distribution)  of the gold itself,” the body stated.
For a green economy, the GGDMA said, the application of more efficient recovery technology is the way forward for the final stage of mining.
Currently, a major obstacle in remediation is that with the current recovery technique used 60 per cent of the gold remains within the tailings.
Therefore, the potential to rework old mined lands with newer, more efficient recovery technologies is imminent. The GGDMA said remediation was, therefore, primarily tied to improving mineral processing and recovery techniques and maximum utilisation of the resource.
“After which, once an area has been mined out, there should be a central land use plan developed based upon the land owners or land use objectives,” the Association added.
It said it saw its role as being critical to the development of small- and medium-scale miners in Guyana and announced that it was currently reviewing several position statements for adaptation.
“These statements constitute the core principles for mining companies and national mining associations which are members of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM). In previous correspondence with the ICMM, the GGDMA noted that the mining industry of Guyana could acquire strong support in applying sustainable development principles to mining,” the mining body said.
The GGDMA further said it also committed to supporting decisions made on the basis of valid data and sound science, key tenets of the ICMM.
“The GGDMA recognises that the small- and medium-scale mining industry must evolve and adapt in response to changing circumstances,” it noted.
As a result, the GGDMA said it has been purposely engaged in a number of initiatives, in response to rising challenges for the benefit of its members and to civil society, and at large for the stakeholders in the small- and medium-scale mining industry in Guyana.
These initiatives include identifying global best practices in mineral exploration, mineral processing with special emphasis on improved mercury, free gold recovery, technologies and techniques, and remediation of mined-out lands. Best practices are sought based on what is appropriate, adaptable and most cost-effective for the geographical and geological environments in which our small- and medium-scale miners operate in Guyana.
In this effort, the GGDMA had and still have collaborative partnership arrangements with international agencies such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); World Wildlife Fund  (WWF)  Guianas; Conservation International (CI) and through CI, arrangements with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and Global Environmental Facility (GEF).
The Association has undertaken the task of investigating and identifying global best practices, which would be applicable to Guyana, in partnership with local and international agencies.
In this context, applicability will be determined via pilot facility where the identified best practices can be first applied, tested and proven, and then be used to demonstrate and to teach Guyanese miners.