National Assembly two years after it was first tabled as a private
member's bill by then PNCR MP Raphael Trotman.
Stabroek News, April 11, 2008
http://www.stabroeknews.com/?p
A closure plan for the Omai mines has been agreed to by the relevant
parties and the existing infrastructure is to be left at the location
rather than the site being restored to its natural state.
This disclosure yesterday, was to have been made at a press briefing
but the absence of Prime Minister Samuel Hinds forced the cancelling
of the event. However, the Guyana Information Agency (GINA) issued a
joint statement from the Government, the Guyana Geology and Mines
Commission (GGMC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Omai
Gold Mines Limited (OGML)/IAMGOLD regarding the agreement.
The statement said that at the request of the Government, the closure
plan for the site was changed from the originally contemplated 'back
to nature' model to an 'after use' one. It explained that as a result,
infrastructure will be retained at the site including internal
roadways, landings, barge, airport/ airstrip and access road, power
plant distribution, camp site and mill site facilities including the
gyratory crusher and the aggregate plant.
It disclosed that Hinds stated that consistent with pursuing the
'after use' options for the Omai site, Guyana is inviting other mining
companies to re-evaluate the underground mining possibilities at that
location.
Production at the mine had ceased in 2005 and the parties have agreed
to the conditions of the Closure Plan conducted by OGML and which
covered site reclamation, re-vegetation and physical, biological and
chemical stability and which up to this point has been monitored by
the EPA and the GGMC. The statement said that the company reported
that it has spent some US$6M since production ceased.
According to the statement, the closure plan envisages the completion
of all environmental and other activities at the Omai Mine site by the
company by the end of September. OGML has given the required notice of
its intent to terminate the Mineral Agreement and voluntarily
relinquish its mining licence with effect from October this year; the
statement said adding that at the hand-over of the property, slated
for October 1, a full and complete certificate of compliance will be
issued.
The statement noted that the company is pursuing "one …prospect of
Eagle Mountain about 75km away and has been reviewing other prospects
in Guyana".
It added that the EPA confirms that generally OGML has complied with
the identified limits and other environmental requirements of the
Agency and the company's compliance was consistent with its ISO 14001
certification for environmental management.
Meanwhile, the GGMC acknowledged "the pioneering nature of the
operations of OGML and notes that the mining regulations and the
historic Mineral Agreement which this development engendered provided
a strong framework for the financing and operation of a world-class
large gold mining operation in conformity with prevailing
international standards".
Hinds, according to the statement, indicated that the collaboration
between the government and Cambior, the parent company of OMGL is
"evidence of the welcome and partnership which the Government and the
people of Guyana extend to Foreign Direct Investment".
The statement said that OGML has stated that its operations at Omai
were a "roller coaster ride" with highs and lows, with particular low
points being the gold price plummeting to a low of US$252 per ounce
during its operation and the rupture of its tailings dam in 1995 which
saw the declaration of the Essequibo River as a disaster area. It
noted that the company considers its greatest success as being able to
produce approximately 3.8 million ounces of gold from its surface
mining operations before the ore body was exhausted in September 2005.
The site had been explored by Golden Star Resources Limited led by
David Fennell and culminated with Cambior Inc establishing OGML in
1991. The mine was opened on March 11, 1993 by the late President, Dr
Cheddi Jagan.
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