Following recent directives from President Irfaan Ali for gold miners to fully comply with regulatory requirements, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has announced the immediate suspension of gold mining operations for 107 Brazilian nationals in the country.
The suspension includes all mining operations, permissions to operate, and any related authorizations. The GGMC clarified that this suspension will remain in effect until the affected miners engage with the commission and demonstrate compliance to its satisfaction.
Many of the Brazilian miners involved are reported to have local addresses on Robb Street in Georgetown, with others in areas such as Alberttown, Durban Street, and various villages along the East Bank of Demerara.
This decision follows a meeting last week between President Ali, officials from the GGMC, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and members of the Gold and Diamond Miners Association. During this meeting, the President emphasized the importance of ensuring that all gold miners adhere to their obligations to declare all gold produced in 2025.
Further actions directed at the meeting included the de-registration of all registered dredges that fail to submit declarations and the identification of foreign miners operating illegally in Guyana for prosecution and subsequent expulsion.
Concerns were raised during the meeting regarding several Brazilian miners who had reportedly made very low or no declarations of their gold production. Those miners were given a strict deadline of 24 hours to fully comply with Guyanese laws and declare their production to the Guyana Gold Board.
This decisive move signifies the government’s commitment to ensuring regulatory compliance within the gold mining sector and enhancing accountability among all miners operating in Guyana.
