Goldstone given go-ahead to survey in Roraima area - PM
Stabroek News
March 17, 2007
Government has granted Goldstone Resources Ltd permission to conduct geological geophysical surveys (PGGS) in areas in Roraima which overlap with Amerindian Villages.
According to Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, the company applied for a PGGS in three separate parcels - two in Roraima and the third in Parish's Hill in Berbice. Hinds made the disclosure on Thursday in an oral response to GAP-ROAR MP Everall Franklin, who sought to find out whether exclusive rights were granted to any company to all minerals found in a 16,000 km² area of Roraima, including Amerindian land.
Hinds, however, explained that the parcels-in Kopinang and Mazaruni-cover 1,876 km² and 3,056 km² and not 16,000 km².
Hinds also explained that the application for the PGGS is a large-scale application. He said that in accordance with section 50 of the Amerindian Act, the government (being satisfied that the application was in the interest of the nation as a whole) granted a PGGS for a two-year period on June 9, 2005. Additionally, he noted that PGGS provides exclusive rights for lateritic bauxites and related minerals, but not for all minerals.
Franklin also queried whether a laterite bauxite deposit exceeding 1,100 million metric tonnes was confirmed in the Kopinang Basin. Hinds reported that BHP Billiton advised that at the current stage of prospecting it is unable to state whether a laterite bauxite deposit exceeding the figure could be confirmed in the Kopinang basin. Hinds did add, however, that the company is still exploring the region and believes that the basin and the Upper Mazaruni area together have a potential to host a large deposit. He further added that the company is not currently in the position to release statements regarding volumes and grade estimates, due to the early stage of the exploration programme.