More than 100 foreigners blacklisted as Guyana tightens mining controls – Min Bharrat

More than 100 non-nationals have been blacklisted as Guyana intensifies enforcement against illegal mining and strengthens systems to ensure gold production is properly declared and enters legitimate channels.

Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat told the Department of Public Information (DPI) on Wednesday that the heightened enforcement has coincided with a significant increase in gold declarations during 2026, despite tighter controls across the mining districts. “We have seen a significant increase in gold declarations in 2026,” Bharrat said, noting the improvement has occurred even as enforcement activities have intensified.

The minister said more than 100 non-nationals were blacklisted after concerns about mining activities, including cases involving illegal operations and instances where production was either poorly declared or not declared. An expanded network of legitimate gold purchasing points supports the government’s enforcement drive.