2 illegal mining operations shut down along Puruni River; equipment seized

Two illegal mining operations along the Puruni River in Region Seven (Cuyuni–Mazaruni) were shut down during a joint enforcement exercise by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Police Force.

The Natural Resources Ministry on Tuesday evening said the operation was carried out on March 6 between 08:00h and 12:00h at Kumung Kumung along the river.

During the exercise, officers discovered six Brazilian nationals and one Venezuelan national working at the sites without the required authorisation.

The seven foreign nationals were arrested and escorted to the Bartica Police Station for processing.

Officials also seized an excavator, a dragger and other equipment used in the illegal mining operations. The equipment have since been placed in the state’s possession.

According to a release from the Ministry, the GGMC instituted several charges against the landowners, including breaching the buffer area of the river bank, diverting or altering the natural flow of the river, operating without a licence or permit, and operating without permission to mine.

Additional breaches include failing to produce a production book or declaration, employing workers without work permits or certificates of registration, and failing to present registers of labourers and poisonous substances.

The Ministry said steps have also been taken to ensure that the costs associated with environmental reclamation are covered by the unlicensed operators.

The Ministry noted that the shutdown of the sites is part of ongoing enforcement efforts aimed at increasing compliance in the mining sector, in keeping with calls by Irfaan Ali for stricter adherence to mining laws and regulations.

The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), in a release last week, had reiterated its full support for the Government of Guyana and the Ministry of Natural Resources in enforcing a “zero-tolerance” policy against illegal mining and unregulated activities.

The Association endorses the comprehensive campaign to sanitise the sector and make 2026 a defining year in eliminating bad actors who damage the reputation of compliant miners.

It emphasises that the sector is evolving and that informal, undocumented gold trading must come to an end. Legitimate miners have nothing to fear, but those operating outside the law must regularise or leave the industry.

The GGDMA clarified that enforcing mining and gold trading laws does not threaten small miners but is necessary to curb gold smuggling. Gold must only be sold to the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) or licensed dealers and traders approved by GGMC. Anyone wishing to trade or barter gold must obtain the proper licence.

The Association also supports the requirement for miners to have local bank accounts, promoting transparency, security, and modern financial practices. Miners are reminded to desist from outdated practices – such as “paying in gold” or using the “blai box”.

The GGDMA maintains that these reforms will strengthen the sector, restore its integrity, and allow legitimate miners to operate free from the stigma created by illegal operators.