The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) was created in 1979 from the Department of Geological Surveys and Mines which itself was the successor to the Geological Survey of British Guiana. Currently GGMC is divided into the following technical divisions:

  • Geological Services
  • Mines
  • Environment
  • Petroleum
  • Land Management

The technical divisions are assisted by the Administration and Finance Divisions to carry out their respective mandates. The functions of the commission are:

  • Regulatory – by virtue of the Mining Act No. 20 of 1989 and Regulations as amended by virtue of Petroleum Act No. 3 of 1986 and Regulations which define inspectorate and compliance monitoring.
  • Supervisory – by virtue of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act, Cap. 10:11 and Regulations as amended.
  • Rule Setting – Adjudication and enforcement of regulations fees, fines, penalties.
  • Promoting –  Education awareness, communications, publications, presentations.
  • Enhancing/Exploiting – Factors of Production, Process Flows, Land allocations, labour capital, management infrastructure development.
  • Capacity Building – Training, field demonstration, conferences, workshops, Research and development, technology transfer and development.
  • Informational – Creation and maintenance of database, storage, retrieval management and dissemination.
  • Fiscal Agent – Management of financial resources.
  • MRV –  Continuous monitoring, review and verification of mining and petroleum sector.
  • Policy Formulation –  Functions of the Chairman and Board of Directors
  • Legislative Framework –  Specified in present and future legislation
  • Change Agent – Transfer material roles/innovator/conduct for best practices.
  • Land management – Based on Mining Act, vesting of mineral rights and GGMC/state.
  • Direct Producer –  Commission can exploit mineral resources (not currently done).
  • Information Repository – For all incidental and geo-scientific data from mining experiences, exploration and such.
  • Advisory – to Government, miner, stakeholders.
  • Networking/Interface and International Compliance – Engagement with external bodies, rules, regulations, conventions, obligations, agreements, standards.
  • Compliance anti money laundering/countering financial terrorism – Supervisory Authority for the mining sector.
  • Environmental – Regulator (mining Amendment Regulations 3 of 2005); Reclamation mainstreaming; watershed management.
  • Amerindian – Facilitator, fiscal agent.
  • Natural Resources – Board of Directors of Guyana Gold Board, Guyana Forestry Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Guyana Mining School and Training Centre Inc. Protected Area Commission, Closed Area Committee.
  • Others – Low Carbon Development Strategy, Climate Change, Special Land Use Committee; Amerindian Land Titling, Minamata Convention, Multistakeholder Steering Committee, Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI); National Security Council; Civil Defence Task Force; Border Matters.