Minister for Mining, Byron Chan will be delivering six revised Memorandum of Agreements (MoA) for mining projects around the country to the Cabinet in during this remaining parliament session.
These mining project MOAs were the result of negotiations over the last two years.
Chan received the revised MOAs from the Mineral Resources Authority on Monday and commended them for a tremendous effort in delivering these revised MOAs for government.
“This is a tremendous effort by all involved and I am advised that what you have delivered is unprecedented where no previous government has even had an opportunity to deliver even two MOAs in any given year – for the MRA to deliver all six over a period of two years is very commendable”
The revised MOAs are for Hidden Valley, Tolukuma, Ok Tedi, Simberi and Sinivit.
The only new mining project MOA is for Woodlark.
MRA Managing Director Philip Samar when presenting the MOA documents to Minister Chan, said this output was testimony to the efficiency and commitment of the government to deliver on its commitment on reviewing these various MOAs.
He acknowledged the assistance of the various state agencies and also thanked the various project stakeholders including the landowners for their patience and participation in this whole process of delivering on the revised MOAs.
Meanwhile, the MOA reviews for Porgera, Lihir, Crater Mountain, Solwara1 and Kainantu will be embarked on in 2017.
The outstanding MOAs for Porgera, Lihir, Solwara1 and Crater Mountain were also progressed over the last two years but due to various factors, including competing interests within the parties, these were not able to be completed on time.
The MOA for Kainantu will commence afresh given that the mine has now recommenced commercial production under its new owners after five years of being under care and maintenance.