The controversial
Omai gold mine, which
began operations after a six-
month shut down, has
drawn4p plans to increase
its gold output by 24,000
ounces by the end of this
year. Next year, its target is to
achieve an output of 30,000
ounces. The increased
production is being attributed to more ore reserves -
while it was estimated to be
41 million tonnes (t) a year,
it has now been revised to
64 million t.
The mine opened after
strict environmental controls came into being following a cyanide spill in August
'95, which had forced it to
close shop. The new environmental, controls include a
hydrogen peroxide plant
which will mitigate the
cyanide concentration in the
tailings before its discharge
into the Omai and Essequibo
rivers. According to Cambior
and Golden Star, the Canada-based owners of the mine, a
new tailings pond covering
an area of 211 ha is also being
built. This pond will be
five times larger than the
one that burst last year.
However, "all measures are
being taken to ensure its
safe and environmentally
sound operations", according to sources at Cambior.
The life-span of the mine
has also been extended from
10 to 12 years.
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