After laying off most of its employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aurora Gold Mine (AGM) has re-employed 587 Guyanese.
Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, visited the company’s mining operations on Monday to recommission their Processing Plant. The Minister said that the number of re-employed workers was pleasing as AGM had initially stated that only two to three hundred Guyanese would be re-employed before December.
AGM was recently acquired by Zijin Mining Group Company Limited, a Chinese company, and is looking to start full operations by mid-2021. Once mining operations begin an additional 200 Guyanese are expected to be employed.
The Minister did note that Guyana did not have the capacity to regulate underground mining; there have been discussions on increasing the local capacity and to have experts brought in to assist with the regulation of mining operations.
On the issue of safety an agreement was reached between the company and the Ministry for “two GGMC (Guyana Geology and Mines Commission) Mines Officers who will be permanently placed here at the Aurora Mines to ensure that the regulations are followed and to advise and guide the company as to daily operations.”
The Environmental Protection Agency would also be engaged to address any environmental matters.
Additionally, the Ministry is seeking to partner with the company to develop the GGMC mining school.
