The Guyana Departmental Mines Commission gave a largely favorable opinion to the beginnings of a new industrial-scale gold mine project. Named "Espérance", it is worn by the American mining company Newmont associated with a local operator, the mining company Espérance (CME).
"It is fine to say that the mining file does not meet the mining regulations and the environment code which are prerequisites for the renewal of the concession, the commission voted in favor of the Hope file", indicated this Wednesday the Guyana nature environment association.
A deposit of “65 tonnes” of gold
The commission, which met in dematerialized form due to confinement, voted in favor of the renewal "for 10 years" of the mining concession located in the west of Guyana, and of its extension. In total, the project received 12 votes “for”, 5 votes “against” for two absent.
Already present in Suriname at the Merian mine, Newmont plans to open an open-pit gold mine in 2025 in the commune of Apatou, similar to the major mining project at the “Montagne d'or” stop. Considered in the middle of the forest, it would require a cyanidation plant and the extraction of "20 million m3 of rocks" to dig a pit 300 meters deep and 1.5 km long. This would lead to a first deposit of "65 tonnes" of gold, according to the operator's documents.
The State Council will decide
"The operating prospects are still uncertain," notes however the General Directorate of Territories and the Guyana Sea in a report consulted by AFP. He specifies that "the minister in charge of mines", Bruno Le Maire, declared himself in favor of the Newmont-CME partnership. It is the Council of State which will then decide on this file by decree in the coming months.
In the event of a green light, the miners will be "under the obligation" to request an "administrative authorization" before any exploitation, said this Wednesday the prefecture of Guyana in a press release, adding that "the opinion of the environmental authority" and a "public inquiry" will then be necessary.
A site operated for thirty years
For thirty years, CME has exploited gold on the “Espérance” site without authorization to open mining works (AOTM) necessary for technical supervision by the State. "Applications had been filed" with the administration and a "compliance file" but nothing came up, defends Carol Ostorero, director general of CME and president of the federation of mining operators in Guyana.
For their part, environmental associations disapprove of the project. "Massive deforestation seriously alters biodiversity, accelerates climate change" and promotes "the emergence of vector vectors of epidemics", denounces in a statement the collective Or question, bringing together 21 NGOs opposed to mining.
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