Documents to be presented before any transaction can be completed with the GGMC
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Overview

Medium-scale mining is permitted on areas between 150 and 1,200 acres. Applicants must pay an Environmental Bond and obtain the necessary environmental permits and agreements for sand or other quarriable materials. For private lands, a signed landowner agreement is required. The permit is valid for five years and must be renewed upon expiry. Once the application and fee are submitted, it is reviewed, and if recommended, a public notice of intent to grant is published for 21 days before final approval and issuance.

Who can apply for an MP?

The holder of a PPMS must also be one of the following:

  1. An individual who is a citizen of Guyana and an adult (eighteen (18) years or older)
  2. A partnership consisting of two or more citizens of Guyana
  3. A company whose entire issued share capital is beneficially owned by citizens of Guyana or by a corporation which has been established by or under a written law in operation in Guyana, or partly by such citizens and partly by such a corporation
  4. A co-operative society registered under the Co-operative Societies Act
  5. A public corporation, or any other corporate body established by or under any written law in force in Guyana
  6. Any organization established by the Government or by or under any written law in force in Guyana and authorized to carry on mining operations

Requirements

  1. Completed application Form 5F ( Application for Mining Permit )
  2. Map and coordinate-referenced description of the area of interest
  3. Payment of application fee ($2,000 per application), processing fee ($2000)
  4. Payment of a deposit on the first  year’s rental (calculated at US$1.00 per acre) 
  5. Registration or Incorporation documents if the applicant is a company or business
  6. Valid  Identification Card/Passport/New driver’s licence
  7. Proof of address (Utility bills, etc., obtained within the last 6 months)
  8. TIN Certificate
  9. Mine/Quarry Plan

Procedure

  1. Applicant submits the application form and required documents to the LMD’s Clerical Section.  
  2. Designated Clerk reviews the application to ensure all the requirements are met.
    • If all requirements are met, the designated Clerk enters the application into the Database and generates an invoice for the customer to make payment at the cashier.
    • If requirements are not met, the designated Clerk advises the applicant of additional requirements (s) to be satisfied. 
  1. When payment is registered at the cashier, the application is returned to the LMD, where the designated Clerk registers, scans and uploads application documents into the database.
  2. AA/SAA Clerical forwards the application to the Cartographic Section for verification.
  3. GIS reviewing Officer makes a recommendation for next action 
    • If the application is recommended to be granted, it is forwarded to the Registry Unit for preparation of ITG (refer to section 12 – Publication for details).
    • If the application is rejected, it is forwarded to the Registry Unit for preparation of the refund letter.  
  1. ITG is sent for publication in the Official Gazette, and a period of 21 days from the date of publication is given for objections by the general public.
  2. If no objection is made to the granting of the MP, the AO Clerical notifies the applicant in writing to lodge an Environmental Bond.
  3. Applicant lodges Bond. 
  4. Designated Clerk prepares Permit for review by AA/SAA Clerical. 
  5. AO Clerical notifies the applicant in writing to visit the LMD to sign the Permit.

NB. All signatories to the application are required to sign the Permit at this stage.

  1. AA/SAA Clerical forwards the permit to AO Clerical for verification. The same is forwarded to the LAM for final review, then to the Commissioner’s office for approval.
  2. The Chairman signs approving the Permit, while the Commissioner signs as recording the Permit.
  3. Once approved and returned to the LMD, notice is sent to the customer to uplift the Permit.

NB. All signatories to applications are required to sign in uplifting the Permit; however, authorisations are accepted at this stage, which must be endorsed.

  1. The database and records are updated to reflect the issuance of MP.

Applicants for Sand Mining Permits and other quarriable materials (loam, laterite, stone) are to be informed that an Environmental/Permit and mine plan must be submitted to the Commission before the issuance of such Permit. This is the responsibility of the Officer accepting the application, and must be confirmed by the AA/SAA Clerical. This process must be initiated during lodgment of the application, to be pursued simultaneously with the continued processing of the application. 

If the area identified is private property (transported or titled land) not owned by the applicant, such applicant is to be informed that an agreement must be in place in keeping with Section 88 (3) (b) of the Mining Act of 1989. Such an agreement may specify that, in addition to the authority to quarry for and remove the specific mineral to which the application relates, authority is also given for the applicant to apply for relevant permits/licences. Alternatively, the agreement may be accompanied by a separate Power of Attorney (POA) authorising the applicant to make an application for relevant permits/licences.

Mining Permit [MP]