AN alarm warning system is now in place at Papua New Guinea's Hidden Valley mine site in Morobe Province as a safety measure for the operation, according to the PNG Mineral Resources Authority.
Following its launch last week, MRA in a statement, said the system was basically a tower equipped with large sirens that would send out warning sounds to concerned villages in the event of a tailings dam failure.
Two more towers would be installed in the near future.
The concerned villages are Hikinangue, Heyu and Nauti 1.
MRA managing director Jerry Garry said safety of people impacted by mining projects was a critical aspect of the MRA’s mandate.
“We cannot comprise people’s safety when doing business,” he said.
“We must ensure that they are protected at all costs.”
Garry said as a government agency, MRA encouraged investment in the country but at the same time it would ensure that the concerns of people who were impacted by mining operations were addressed and safety was one such concern.
Chief Inspector of Mines Lave Michael commended Hidden Valley mine for successfully launching the system.
Lave said it had taken almost a year of work between his office and the company and the launch was an achievement.
He said the inspectorate would continue to work with Hidden Valley to ensure that the roll out of the rest of the system was successfully completed. The installation of the system by the company was ordered by MRA mines inspectorate, as a condition of approval of the company’s application for the expansion of its tailings dam.
The application for expansion was lodged with the inspectorate late last year and was approved in January this year.
The National/ Pacific Mining Watch
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Following its launch last week, MRA in a statement, said the system was basically a tower equipped with large sirens that would send out warning sounds to concerned villages in the event of a tailings dam failure.
Two more towers would be installed in the near future.
The concerned villages are Hikinangue, Heyu and Nauti 1.
MRA managing director Jerry Garry said safety of people impacted by mining projects was a critical aspect of the MRA’s mandate.
“We cannot comprise people’s safety when doing business,” he said.
“We must ensure that they are protected at all costs.”
Garry said as a government agency, MRA encouraged investment in the country but at the same time it would ensure that the concerns of people who were impacted by mining operations were addressed and safety was one such concern.
Chief Inspector of Mines Lave Michael commended Hidden Valley mine for successfully launching the system.
Lave said it had taken almost a year of work between his office and the company and the launch was an achievement.
He said the inspectorate would continue to work with Hidden Valley to ensure that the roll out of the rest of the system was successfully completed. The installation of the system by the company was ordered by MRA mines inspectorate, as a condition of approval of the company’s application for the expansion of its tailings dam.
The application for expansion was lodged with the inspectorate late last year and was approved in January this year.
The National/ Pacific Mining Watch
Next :