Photo credit: Wafi Golpu JV
According to the Mineral Resources Authority, discussions on a mining development contract for the projected K18.4 billion Wafi-Golpu mining project in Morobe will begin this week (MRA).
Both the State and the mine's joint venture partners had conducted conversations, according to managing director Jerry Garry, and an assessment of those interactions was underway.
“We gave our comments to the joint venture partners, and they came back with their comments which the state team is going through, ticking what they agree and disagree on,” Garry said.
“I am anticipating that next week, we will sit down with the joint venture partners to commence discussions on the mining development contract.”
Garry reiterated that the environmental permit issue, which the Morobe government had taken to court, had no bearing on the rest of the process.
Last month, Deputy Chief Justice Ambeng Kandakasi halted the government's issuance of an environmental permit for the Wafi Golpu mining project awaiting a court review.
Governor Gibson Saonu and the Morobe administration have requested the court to examine Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Minister Wera Mori's and the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority's managing director Gunther Joku's decision to award the permission. They claim that the ruling was ultra-vires, meaning that it was a violation of natural justice.
They allege that there was a lack of adequate engagement between the state and landowners on studies on the danger and environmental effect of deep-sea tailing placement, a waste disposal practice.
Reference: The National (1 October 2021). “Wafi-Golpu’s development contract talks to start”.
