The Pamaka’s main livelihood activities include hunting, foraging, shifting cultivation, fishing
and informal mining. 23 The Pamaka have a history of informal mining and in 2011,
approximately 20 percent of Pamaka households in the project area were involved in this
activity as a main source of livelihood. 24 Informal mining activities on Maroon territory are
somewhat regulated by traditional governance structures and established social norms,
though significant political and financial interests from Paramaribo add complexity. 25
Informal mining activities have grown in scale in recent years and now involve the use of
heavy machinery. The Panel observed widespread and significant adverse environmental
impacts from informal mining in the project area, including landscape degradation and river
siltation. Environmental studies confirm that the use of mercury in informal gold processing
is widespread throughout the country’s interior, where informal mining activities occur.26
The use of mercury for gold processing poses significant environmental, safety and health
risks. 27
3.3
Summary timeline
Points of interest in the timeline of the Merian project are listed in Table 1. The timeline
commences with the discovery of gold, and covers project permitting, construction and
commissioning.
Table 1: Timeline of key events relating to the Merian mine
Year
Event
2001
2003
•
•
•
2004
2006
2007
2008
•
•
•
•
•
2009
•
Suralco, a subsidiary of Alcoa, obtained A Right of Exploration for gold.
Drilling confirmed a gold deposit at Gowtu Bergi.
The International Council of Mining and Metals (ICMM), of which Newmont is a
founding member, published 10 Principles on Sustainable Development, which
include a commitment to respect human rights.
Newmont and Alcoa entered into joint venture and establish “Surgold”.
Right of Exploration for Merian transferred to Surgold.
Newmont published its Social Responsibility Policy.
Surgold applied for a Right of Exploitation for Merian (i.e. a mining concession).
Surgold commenced negotiations with the Government of Suriname for a
Mineral Agreement for the Merian project.
Rapid influx of many additional informal miners into the Gowtu Bergi area.
23
See:
http://s1.q4cdn.com/259923520/files/doc_downloads/south_america/merian/assessment/MerianProject-Final-ESIA-Volume-I_0.pdf
24
Social Solutions (2016) Small-scale gold mining in and around the Merian ROE: Socioeconomic
survey of the Pamaka gold miners. Company-commissioned report.
25
Information from the household survey conducted in 2011 as part of the ESIA. Ibid. This was
reinforced in the Panel’s discussions with Pamaka community members.
26
Heemskerk, M. (2001) Maroon gold miners and mining risks in the Suriname Amazon, Cultural
Survival Quarterly, 25.1 (Spring). See: https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/culturalsurvival-quarterly/suriname/maroon-gold-miners-and-mining-risks-suriname-amazo
27
See: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs361/en/
10