After almost a decade since the last Quarry License (QL) was issued, Black Jaguar Investment Group, owned by Essequibo businessman Tamesh Jagmohan, has been granted a license to operate a block in the Mazaruni River that will effectively become the largest quarry operation in Guyana and the Caribbean; the company plans to produce some 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.
According to the company, it’s highly efficient, new, large scale operation will allow the company to supply products to the local market in a timely manner and at very competitive prices to support the rapidly expanding development in 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 maximize 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 revolutionize 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.
Black Jaguar Investment Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the El Dorado Trading group of companies, on December 1, 2020 obtained the Quarry License from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). It is for the extraction and processing of rock to produce boulders and various sizes of aggregate.
The last QL to be issued was to Durban Quarries Inc. in 2010.
Black Jaguar Investment Group’s License is located in the vicinity of Marshall Falls. The area it was granted to operate covers 7,086 acres. According to the company, the combined acreage of the other existing quarries in Guyana are not equal in size to this newly issued QL.
The area covered by this QL hosts deposits of Granite and Gabbro type rocks. These rocks are excellent for use as first-class aggregate in the construction industry. The elevations within 75% of the area enclosed by the QL are greater than 200 feet, the maximum elevations exceed 300 feet. The 300 feet contour covers approximately 40% of the aerial extent of the QL. The elevation at the Mazaruni river bank is less than 50 feet. The overburden in this area is usually less than 40 feet.
This leaves approximately 200 feet of rock standing above the level of the river bank which can be easily extracted.
The aerial extent of the 200 feet contour line with the adjustments for the river bank overburden indicates that there will be approximately 300 million tons of rock available for extraction above the level of the river bank.
The proposed facility will be developed using state of the art technology to maximize capacity and operational efficiency.
The company said the chronic shortage of aggregate has long been causing government infrastructure projects to run years beyond the projected deadline for completion.
“No longer will government or private construction be delayed due to shortages in the supply of aggregate,” the company stated.
Good news all the way around. Employment #’s should be huge for this project.