The Papua New Guinea Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) says it will take six years before gold or copper from the Wafi-Golpu project is processed and ready for shipment, says managing director Jerry Garry.
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| director Jerry Garry |
He praised Morobe Governor Luther Wenge and the provincial executive council for pushing the project to start.
Wenge said this week that Morobe was allowing the US$5.4billion (K18.5billion) Wafi-Golpu project to begin operations.
Wenge said Wafi Golpu was a revenue source Morobe was missing out on because of the delay in getting it off the ground.
He said all court cases filed by the Morobe government under former governor Gibson Saonu would be withdrawn.
Wenge said the province was prepared to sign the mining lease agreement in December to accept the mine and the deep sea tailing placement (Dstp) method of mine waste disposal.
“Wafi-Golpu will open and DSTP will go on.
“Anyone who disagrees can take it to court with their own research and facts,” he said.
Garry said: “That is a very positive support. As a regulator, (the MRA is) pleased.
“In terms of project permitting, we recognise that the project has some more work to do.
“They (operator) must be permitted to go underground, drill more holes, understand the rock formation and improve their confidence in mineral resource itself.
“Within the five years, they will be doing a lot of drilling and develop platforms for the construction of the mine, etc.”
The National / Pacific Mining Watch
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