Exploration is important for the future of Papua New Guinea’s mining sector, which plays a vital role in the nation's growth. Without continued exploration, the country will face a decline in mining activity, said Papua New Guinea Mineral Resources Authority Managing Director Jerry Garry.
“And if there is no exploration, there will be no mining in this country,” Garry said at a signing event on November 14th with a Chinese mining agency at the Mining Haus in Port Moresby.
He explained that the country faces a significant gap in junior exploration companies, a trend that has been on the decline for over 15 years -- worsened by the global mining sector’s focus on advanced projects and mergers rather than exploration in potential locations in the country.
“If we do not invest in exploration, we risk running out of new mining projects,” the MRA chief said.
Garry emphasised the importance of expanding exploration efforts and partnering with countries like China, which possesses advanced technology and expertise.
This was highlighted during the signing of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the MRA Geological Survey and the China Geological Survey from 2025 to 2030, witnessed by Dr. Wang Tiangang of the latter’s Institute of Geology and Minerals.
The MOU will involve two main components. The first is a geoscience survey, which includes geochemical mapping, soil and rock sampling, and the use of remote sensing techniques in certain areas. The second component focuses on capacity building for the MRA, with opportunities for MRA geoscientists to attend universities in China for advanced degrees (Masters and Doctorates).
“This partnership with China provides an opportunity to generate new data that could attract new exploration companies and potentially uncover new mineral deposits in PNG,” Garry added.
Mr. Gabriel Kuna, MRA Officer in Charge (OIC) Geological Survey Division, was also present to witness the signing.
The MOU aims to facilitate collaboration in geological research and scientific data analysis, providing a framework for the exchange of technical knowledge and enhancing geoscientific research capabilities, and is a follow-up to the initial MOU signed in 2012.
The key activities under the MOU will depend on the financial and human resources available to both parties. Other potential areas of collaboration include:
- Exchange of scientific and technical information
- Research visits and knowledge sharing
- Joint projects and subject studies in areas of mutual interest
- Training of research fellows for joint projects
- Joint workshops, conferences, and lectures
- Other mutually agreed forms of cooperation
Following the signing, the two parties will begin conducting geological surveys throughout PNG. The data collected will be added to the country's geological map, which is marketed to investors globally. This will help further promote PNG as a mineral-rich nation with proven resources.
China is recognized for its cutting-edge geoscience technology and innovation, and Garry emphasized that this partnership offers PNG a unique opportunity to learn from Chinese expertise
Explaining the processes, Kuna said: “We will also be collecting soil samples and rock samples here in PNG. Some of those will be taken up to China.”
MRA will share the knowledge and experience gained from this collaboration with other agencies and government departments across PNG. The goal is to eventually expand the geoscientific research efforts to cover the entire country, he added.
Garry said since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many international partners providing technical support to the MRA had been lost.
However, the MRA has since secured new collaborations, including a partnership with other country governments focused on capacity building in the Geological Survey Division, the only scientific arm of the government “responsible for collecting and providing new scientific data for the development of our country,” Garry said.
“Given the rugged and inaccessible terrain of PNG, collecting such data is challenging and costly. This collaboration will help us keep up with global technological advancements, which is crucial for enhancing our understanding of geology and mineral deposits in the country.”
Garry expressed his gratitude to Dr. Wang and the China Geological Survey for their commitment to the partnership.
“Such collaborations like this will put new scientific data on the table that may entice new players into the country. And hopefully we can be able to generate interest and a new scientific understanding that may unravel some of the new deposits within the country,” he said.
Dr. Wang, on behalf of his superiors and team, expressed his excitement about the collaboration and the opportunities it presents for both countries. “I take this opportunity to say thank you and look forward to our cooperation,” he said.
