Agreement forged to develop lime project

Business

A MEMORANDUM of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Elimbari Lime and Cement Ltd and Dongfang Electric International Corporation for the development of the Simbu Lime and Cement project.
Commerce and Industry Minister and Chuave MP Wera Mori said the MoU between the two companies paved the way for the site preparation, special mining lease and engagement of local consultants to undertake social studies, landowner identification and formations of incorporated land groups (ILGs).
“The government has basically spent close to K13 million in advancing this project in Chimbu, this is a significant project,” Mori said during the MoU signing on Friday.
He said the only delay was the K2 million funding under the Public Investment Programme.
“As part of our drive under the Marape-Steven government to take back PNG, we have to start and make our presence felt in whatever circumstances there may be.
“This is the project that will entail the production of lime as part of import replacement, for lime that is currently used in all mines.
“It is important that the projects gets off the ground.
“We now have a task to bring this project into production before Wafi-Golpu comes on streams and other mines into the future but also be able to replace the amount of lime that is being imported into the country.”
Mori called on the government to release funding to allow the further facilitation of the project.
“This is the first of four main project that we want to do, Simbu Industrial Lime plant project, Simbu Cement Plant project, Simbu Solar, Hydro and Coal fire-powered plant project and river dam water supply,” he said.