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| 7 Ramu Nico engineers on China study tour | |
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SEVEN new Papua New Guinean engineers
are on their way to China for a three-month intensive study and training
tour, the first wave of a programme of technology transfer that will
introduce the science of nickel mining and processing to PNG. Ramu Nico project is sending the seven employees to study in China, hoping they would form part of the ongoing management team of the billion dollar, 20-year development nickel project. Many more Ramu Nico employees are scheduled to follow in the years ahead, according to company technical manager James Wang. “Papua New Guinea can be rightly proud of the skilled mining workforce it has developed, particularly in the hard-rock technologies associated with gold and copper mining. “However, laterite nickel requires different mining and processing technology, and this training will add a new set of skills to the capacity of the PNG mining industry.. “We also believe that through this training and the cultural programmes available in China, PNG national employees will be acting as bridges between PNG and China, and eventually grow up to be the management and technical backbone of the Ramu Nickel Project,” Mr Wang said. Increased world demand for nickel and other so-called base metals now created economic viability for the huge development, adding that a very large new resource project to PNG’s mineral export portfolio. “But there have also been some hard lessons learned in the past 20 years about how nickel laterite projects can fail, on technical grounds, so there is much that our local engineers have to learn,” Mr Wang said. Ramu Nico is covering all expenses and fees for the seven engineers, the largest industry sponsorship of PNG graduates since the days of the Chevron petroleum operation 15 years ago, mining industry sources said. |
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