CHUAVE MP Wera Mori has urged two landowner clans to support a limestone project planned for the district.
He said the two landowner clans are Duma and Mam of Goiri, Chuave, where a major limestone mine is to be located.
Mori urged the clans to refrain from disturbing the project and allow for the smooth flow of the feasibility studies so that work could be completed on schedule.
He said mining would soon start in an area with a 50-year mine life which had 57.2 million tonne lime resource.
The Simbu Limestone office in Kundiawa said there was more than 95km of limestone deposit in the province and laboratory tests have shown the quality to be of more than 99% pure.
Limestone project coordinator Kohn Digan said: “Finally there is a breakthrough and the limestone is to be mined for cement and other products to be manufactured locally.
“For cement to be produced, ingredients are limestone, sand, clay, iron ore and gypsum. Gypsum is the only ingredient that is not present at the mine. Gypsum will be sourced elsewhere.”
It will take three years to construct the plant which is expected to begin in the middle of next year.