– Over 1,000 Guyanese receive mining blocks in three-year initiative
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The Guyanese government has reported a significant reduction in illegal mining activities, attributable to the increased issuance of mining concessions to small and medium-scale miners. Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat highlighted concerns regarding encroachment by informal miners on established properties. He noted that, in certain situations, property owners grant permission to small miners, which can lead to disputes when valuable resources are discovered.
“In the interior, there is often a lack of formal agreements, and when a small miner finds gold, they can be evicted or displaced,” the minister stated during a recent press conference.
To address this issue, the ministry has intensified efforts to allocate more concessions to small miners, conducting lotteries for mining properties in Regions Seven, Eight, and One.
“I can confidently say that over the past three years, more than 1,000 small Guyanese miners now have their own blocks. We are witnessing a noteworthy decrease in unauthorized mining activities on properties owned by others,” Minister Bharrat remarked.
The ministry faces the ongoing challenge of managing a backlog of unverified claims. Upon assuming office in 2020, the government inherited approximately 18,000 unverified claims. According to the minister, mining regulations require miners to apply to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) once a claim is staked; miners can begin operations as soon as their application is recorded, regardless of claim verification status.
Minister Bharrat acknowledged that this system poses significant challenges for the ministry.
“Over the last four years, we have worked diligently to reduce this backlog, which now stands at around 2,000 unverified claims,” he revealed.
Alongside reducing the backlog, the ministry has introduced a new verification process. Once a miner claims a property and submits an application to GGMC, they must wait for verification, which typically takes up to six weeks.
“Upon verification, provided there are no encumbrances, we can issue a license to start mining,” the minister explained. He believes that once all unverified claims are resolved, the ministry will be in a stronger position to enforce regulations and combat unauthorized mining activities.
