THE Papua New Guinea (PNG) Mineral Resource Authority (MRA) has urged alluvial miners to register their leases to get a licence to work on those leases.
Small Scale Mining branch manager Sydor Utaeo made the statement after handing over the mining licence to Watut miner Gedisa Rikani at the MRA office in Wau last Friday.
The awarding of the licence came after Rikani, the director of Riks Holdings and owner of Mining Lease 463, met all the requirements under MRA and Conservation Environment Protection Authority.
“The license was granted to him by the mining minister to commence mining operations on his lease area at Mt Kaindi in Wau,” Utaeo said.
“I urge other alluvial miners to do the same to complete their proposals for development form with MRA and submit it for approval for the screening process to get a mining licence,” he said.
“The miners should change their mining methods from simple mining to mechanised mining operations to increase their gold recovery methods.”
Rikani thanked MRA for granting him his licence to work on his lease and said he would find a joint venture partner to work with him on his lease.
TheNational/PacificMiningWatch