Wafi-Golpu Mine

This is forecast for a period of more than 30 years.

Mining Minister, Sir Ano Pala, painted this picture when making his presentation at the 17^th PNG Resources and Energy Investment Conference in Sydney, on Tuesday, December 12^th.

These mega projects, located in Morobe and Sepik provinces, will take five to seven years for construction.

“And hopefully, by 2030, these projects may become operating mines in addition to Ok Tedi, and possibly Kainantu,” Minister Pala said.

The Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights (CELCOR) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea, and Australian groups Jubilee Australia and the Mineral Policy Institute sent an open letter to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Mining Minister, Minister for Environment, Conservation and Climate Change and the Mineral Resources Authority.

The letter requests a halt of any further approvals until discussions can be had with all affected project communities, including those in the Huon Gulf.

They are the Papua LNG Project, New Porgera Mine, Wafi-Golpu Mine, P’nyang LNG, Pasca LNG and Pandora LNG.

Marape announced this when responding to the Ministerial Statement by Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey on the ‘2020 Final Budget Outcomes (FBO) and 2021 Mid-Year Fiscal and Economic Outlook (MYEFO) and the Way Forward’ on Wednesday.

“We are working very hard, and in just two years, we are discussing Papua to ensure that it takes off, Wafi-Golpu, New Porgera, Pandora, Pasca and P’nyang.

Chief Esra Kwako signed on behalf of the people Babuaf while Governor Ginson Saonu represented the Provincial Government.

The MOU includes a clause for the parties not to agree for the developer to construct and build the necessary infrastructure for a deep sea tailing placement as currently proposed, to insist on finding a safer alternative, like a terrestrial tailings dam.

Executive general manager of the Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture, Craig Jones, said this during the PNG Resources Sector Media Workshop in Port Moresby.

Jones said the complexity and technological state of the mine will see an initial capital investment of K8.8 billion.

Whilst the outcome of the Special Mining Lease (SML) application for the Wafi-Golpu is yet to be determined, joint venture partners Newcrest Mining and Harmony Gold say an overall capital investment of K16.7 billion will be made throughout the life of the mine, which is estimated to be 28 years.