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China has agreed to help Guyana map reserves of valuable minerals across its over 200-square-kilometer vastness.
In a mining conference held from Oct. 20 to 23 in Tianjin, Guyana's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Robert Persaud signed an agreement with China Geological Mapping to survey the South American country's land for geological resources.
Gold mining is Guyana's largest industry, and with the new agreement, the country will be able to spot other locations of this precious element as well as other minerals like diamond, manganese and bauxite.
The Chinese official who gave a statement said that a technical team will be sent to Guyana to do preparatory talks that will identify the best locations for mineral mining.
According to Persaud, surveying a country's geology is a better strategy than going blindly into mining.
"It is the way in which the sector is moving across the world; more geological survey work than going blindly into mining," said Persaud.
The official said that the decision will "avoid environmental degradation and destruction."
China is not the only one requested to assist; Chile, Argentina and Canada will also lend a hand in mapping Guyana's minerals.
In 2013, Guyana produced over 452,000 ounces of gold and 55,000 carats of diamond.
Currently, the Aurora gold project is the country's biggest gold mining operation, with a targeted production of 250,000 ounces of gold per year.
