MINING
AND ENERGY
The Guayana area in southeastern Venezuela has become the powerhouse
The
development of this region is in the hands of the Corporación Venezolana de
Guayana (CVG), an autonomous state-owned entity created in 19660.
CVG oversees the mining operations for iron ore, bauxite, gold, zinc and
other minerals, as well as the production of steel, primarily aluminum,
electricity and cement in a region that covers almost half of Venezuela.
CVG
is Venezuela’s second largest industrial group, after the oil sector in 1989,
CVG exports, mostly aluminum, steel and iron ore, totaled 1.1 billion dollars.
Aluminum is the second largest export earner after petroleum and will assume
even greater importance in upcoming years.
CVG anticipates increasing production from the current output of 600,000
metric tons to two million tons annually by the year 2000.
CVG-affiliates
Alcasa and Venalum do most of Venezuela’s processing. Venalum in the largest primary aluminum producer in the
western world.
Aluminum production using imported raw materials began in 1968.
In 1977, bauxite, the key raw material, was found.
Bauxiven mines bauxite from the Pijiguaos region in south-central
Venezuela, while the subsidiary Interalúmina prepares de bauxite to be
processed by Alcasa and Venalum.
Venezuela’s
gold potential is in excess of 8,000 tons, 5,000 of which are at surface level,
suitable for open cut mining. This potential represents about 12% of the
world’s proven reserves.
CVG
companies are in charge of gold development, research for joint ventures in
large-scale projects and organization of the 15,000 active prospectors in the
region who are responsible for undeclared gold production estimated to be double
the declares production figures.
Venezuela’s
impressive hydroelectric capacity is based in Guayana.
The enormous Guri Dam supplies 70% of Venezuela’s electricity and saves
3000,000 barrels of oil a day.
Defense and Improvement of the Environment