Licence granted for largest quarry operation in Guyana

GEORGETOWN, CMC:

The government of Guyana has granted a Quarry Licence (QL) to a local company permitting it to operate a block in the Mazaruni River.

The licence that was granted to the Black Jaguar Investment Group, earlier this month, will result in it becoming the largest quarry operation here and across the Caribbean.

With the licence – the first granted in a decade, Black Jaguar is expected to produce 20,000 metric tonnes every week in its quest to bring down the cost of stone and boost the construction industry, and ensure there are timely supplies to complete government projects.

The last QL to be issued was to Durban Quarries Inc. in 2010.

According to the company, it’s highly efficient, new, large-scale operation will allow it to supply products to the local market in a timely manner and at very competitive prices to support the rapidly expanding development of Guyana.

Unlike the other quarries in operation, the company says it will be engaging international quarry operators to set up multiple sites of extraction and production to maximise the output of the quarry to meet the current and expected demand in the local and regional economy.

“Other quarries in Guyana have a very limited approach to extraction and production, they operate only a single extraction and processing system no matter the size of the QL and the availability of the resource. The company plans to revolutionise the way the quarry industry operates in Guyana and to solve the chronic shortage of supply that has resulted in a resource-rich country having to import aggregate to meet demand,’’ the company said in a statement.