‘Massive increase’ in quarrying sector – Min. Bharrat

There has been major improvement across all commodities in Guyana’s mining sector for the year 2024. With developmental projects across the country in various sectors, the demand for building materials has significantly increased.

As such, production of stone, sand, and loom for 2024 has significantly increased from 2023.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat highlighted these increases at his ministry’s year-end press conference on Tuesday.

For 2024, mining activities in total were the second-highest contributor to Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Minister noted there has been significant investment in the quarrying sector, especially in the production of stone aggregates.

According to him, when the current Government took over in 2020, production for stone aggregates was at 737,000 tonnes.

In 2023, the production was at 1,851,152 tonnes, and in 2024, at 3,338,760 metric tonnes. This represents an approximate 180% increase from 2023 to 2024.

Minister Bharrat said this was a result of the confidence from investors.

Additionally, he mentioned when the current administration took over, there were seven operational quarries. Currently, there are seventeen operational quarries.

The Minister noted that few of these existing quarries are expanding their operation and investment, therefore also expanding their production.

And, he said another five new quarries may become operational in 2025, which would increase production to more than four million tonnes.

Further, a massive increase was also seen in the production of sand and loom.

For 2023, production of sand was at 8 million tonnes, while in 2024, it increased to 11.7 million tonnes.

Loom production in 2023 was at 949,000 tonnes and increased to over 1.7 million tonnes in 2024.

“The Ministry of Natural Resources and GGMC (Guyana Geology and Mines Commission) will continue to work with our stakeholders so that we can satisfy local demand,” said Minister Bharrat.