Guyana
Guyana produced industrial minerals and metals
Pictured: gold ore
Statistics and information on the mining industry in Guyana.
Overview
In 2024, Guyana was not a globally significant producer of mineral commodities. Production of mineral commodities contributed 70% to Guyana’s gross domestic product, including mineral fuels, 66.7%, and nonfuel mineral commodities, 4.7%. Nonfuel mineral commodities produced in Guyana included bauxite, cement, diamonds, gold, manganese, and industrial minerals such as loam, sand, and crushed stone. The legislative framework for the mineral sector is provided by the Mining Act 1989 (Cap. 65:01), the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Act, and the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) Act. The GGMC oversees the mineral sector and monitors, promotes, and regulates the use of the country’s mineral resources. The GGB was established to oversee and manage the buying and selling of gold in Guyana and to conduct gold-trading activities. Under the GGB Act, all gold produced in the country must be sold either to the GGB or to one of its authorized agents, such as licensed gold dealers. Most mineral commodities were produced by private companies in partnership with the Government.
2024 Report
Full data release with tables here.
In 2024, Guyana was not a globally significant producer of mineral commodities. Production of mineral commodities contributed 70% to Guyana’s gross domestic product; distributed as follows: mineral fuels, 66.7%, and nonfuel mineral commodities, 4.7%. Nonfuel mineral commodities produced in Guyana included bauxite, cement, diamonds, gold, manganese, and industrial minerals such as loam, sand, and crushed stone. The legislative framework for the mineral sector is provided by the Mining Act 1989 (Cap. 65:01), the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Act, and the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) Act. The GGMC oversees the mineral sector and monitors, promotes, and regulates the use of the country’s mineral resources. The GGB was established to oversee and manage the buying and selling of gold in Guyana and to conduct gold-trading activities. Under the GGB Act, all gold produced in the country must be sold either to the GGB or to one of its authorized agents, such as licensed gold dealers. Most mineral commodities were produced by private companies in partnership with the Government (Production table; Bank of Guyana, 2025, p. 161; Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, 2025a, p.1; 2025b; Guyana Gold Board, 2026).
Data on mineral production are in the Production table (formerly table 1). The Facilities table (formerly table 2) is a list of major mineral industry facilities. More-extensive coverage of the mineral industry of Guyana can be found in previous editions of this chapter in the U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports—International—South America, which are available at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/south…;
Production table
(Metric tons, gross weight, unless otherwise specified)
| Commodity | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bauxite, dry basis | 608,168 | 618,452 | 705,631 | 523,742 | 1,722,350 |
| Cement, hydraulic | 400,000e | 520,000e | 570,000e | 1,100,000e | 2,000,000e |
| Diamond, natural, gem (carats) | 19,825 | 50,089 | 83,382 | 72,300 | 51,900 |
| Gold, mine, Au content (kilograms) | 18,210 | 15,522 | 15,129 | 13,440 | 13,501 |
| Manganese, mine | NA | NA | 278,446 | 314,538 | 291,932 |
| Manganese, mine, concentrates, 38% mn, Mn content | NA | NA | 106,000 | 120,000 | 111,000e |
| Sand and gravel, construction, common sand | 1,300,000e | 3,000,000e | 4,100,000e | 5,430,000e | 8,000,000e |
| Stone, crushed, unspecified | 622,886 | 854,850 | 935,078 | 1,851,132 | 3,338,760 |
| Stone, size and shape unspecified, loam | 30,000 | 41,000e | 45,000e | 89,000e | 160,000e |
References Cited
- Bank of Guyana, 2025, Annual report 2024: Georgetown, Guyana, Bank of Guyana, March 31, 137 p. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://web.archive.org/web/20251222220032/https://bankofguyana.org.gy/….)
- Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, 2025a, Fiscal regimes for Guyana’s mining sector (small, medium, and large scale operations): Georgetown, Guyana, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, July 16, 4 p. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://web.archive.org/web/20251222220347/https://www.ggmc.gov.gy/ggmc….)
- Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, 2025b, Who we are: Georgetown, Guyana, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission. (Accessed September 22, 2025, at https://web.archive.org/web/20251222221715/https://www.ggmc.gov.gy/who-….)
- Guyana Gold Board, 2026, About Guyana Gold Board: Georgetown, Guyana, Guyana Gold Board. (Accessed April 21, 2026, at https://web.archive.org/web/20260214222741/https://ggb.gov.gy/about/#le…).
Publications
Reports: 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017-18 | 2019
Tables: 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017-18 | 2019 | 2020-21 Tables-only release | 2022 Tables-only release