Safety reminder for alluvial miners

Alluvial miners were told to consider the importance of safety during a Mining Safety Awareness in Wau, Morobe Province, recently.

Small Scale Mining branch manager, Sydor Utaeo, reminded the miners of this following a recent death at Koranga Mining area.

Utaeo said miners’ failure to observe mining safety laws, even in small scale mining operations, can lead to such tragedy.

He stressed that the Mining Safety Act 1977 applies to all mining operations in the country, including Wau.

Utaeo told miners that Small Scale Mining Training Centre was established to train every person engaged in alluvial mining, so they understand the safety laws governing the small scale mining industry. 

Small Scale Mining branch development engineer, Cedric Kau, emphasised that the laws forbid digging of tunnels because the soil is not hard, especially at Koranga.

Resource geologist, Lloyd Singura, showed pictures of the geological make of the Koranga area and explained to the people to be safety conscious at all times.

"Our soil structure here at Koranga is not hard and it can collapse and kill anyone digging tunnels in the mountainside or working directly beneath overhangs,” Singura stated.

Small Scale Mining Training Centre training coordinator, Samuel Leonhard, said they have trained more than 5,000 miners; 80 percent of whom come from Wau and Bulolo.

“I encouraged all the miners to undertake Level One and Two training at the small scale mining training centre to fully understand the various stages of mining and the safety laws governing the industry to help with your mining operations.”

Wau/Bulolo Urban LLG Ward 11 Member, Rumi Giribo, and Ward 12 Member, Leo Dimur, said they will ensure their people strictly comply with the safety procedures when carrying out alluvial mining activities at Koranga.

(Resource geologist, Lloyd Singura, speaking during the event)

Author: 
Press release