THE Mining Ministry is developing an offshore mining policy to cater for the Solwara 1 project – the first-ever offshore mining project in the country and the world.
Mining Minister Byron Chan said it was imperative that the government adopted the country’s own offshore policy without further delay.
“At this point let me make it clear that the current mining legislation adequately provides the basic framework to regulate and permit a deep-sea mining project, likewise the mining safety act.
“What is required of us to do is to develop specific safety guidelines and policy on benefits distribution for offshore projects”, Chan said.
“My ministry has produced a draft mining policy using the Madang guidelines which was developed from an international workshop of deep sea mining experts in 1999.”