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https://kiskadeewatch.com/guyana/epa-exempts-proposed-217-acre-gold-hill-sand-mine-from-impact-study/

EPA exempts proposed 217-acre Gold Hill sand mine from impact study

A proposed 217-acre sand-mining operation by CEALT Logistics Inc has been exempted from an Environmental Impact Assessment by the EPA.

The agency’s notice for the Gold Hill Sand Project was posted on October 19, 2026, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website.

The notice identifies the proposed mining block as GS23: C-1091/MP/000/26, at the confluence of the Cheong’s and Arobaio creeks. 

The developer’s project summary, dated December 22, 2025, describes a 217-acre property near Gold Hill, north of Linden, on the left bank of the Demerara River.

It puts start-up capital at approximately US$444,855 and total proposed investment at US$1.78 million.

Initial production is projected at 100,000 tons annually, with capacity increasing by 10 per cent each year. These are the developer’s estimates.

The summary describes access by boat from Linden and identifies the conversion of the land’s title to sand mining as part of the proposal. It also provides for progressive rehabilitation and mine closure planning. 

The EPA said expected effects were of medium to low significance and could be managed through the proposed mitigation measures.

Its reasons included staged vegetation clearance and extraction, dust suppression, machinery maintenance and buffer zones.

The agency also said surface-water effects could be controlled through measures preventing direct discharge into creeks and other water bodies.

The screening notice expressly states that exemption from an EIA is not an indication that the project has been approved. 

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