Awareness done on project’s deep sea tailings placement

Business

AWARENESS on deep sea tailings placement for the Wafi-Golpu project was conducted over two days last week in coastal villages of Huon Gulf, Morobe.
The villages visited were in Labu in the Wampar local level government and the Salamaua local level government of Huon Gulf.
The awareness was conducted by Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (Cepa) officers.
Cepa official Robert Sine said the deep sea tailing placement (DSTP) had been tried out at Misima, Simberi, Lihir and Ramu Nickel.
The DSTP at the four mines were 150 meters while for Wafi-Golpu, it was 200 meters.
Villagers questioned Cepa on the safety of the sea which they depend on.
Former Salamaua LLG president Philemon Tomala told Cepa officials, Environment and Conservation Minister Wera Mori and Huon Gulf MP Ross Seymour that the awareness was full of scientific terms which most people did not understand.
“You are saying everything will be alright but we, in the village, still have doubts,” he said.
“We still have this question whether releasing of the waste into the sea would be okay or not.
“With this doubt, we want to say no to dumping waste into the sea where it will destroy the environment that we depend on. If our environment is destroyed, what will you, the Government do to help us?”

6 comments

  • Good call, Mr Tomala. DSTP is the easy way out. We have technology today in PNG that can easily give you better option than DSTP. It’s right here in Lae… Unitec Mining Engineering has the answer. Talk to them.

  • To avoid unforeseen disastrous effects on the lives of people and the environment? I strongly oppose the idea of dumping the waste into Huon Gulf. The lives of people is more important than money. We have surved many years on see foods which are free. We catch free. We dont buy the. Please dont make life difficult for us. Leave us with our sea and all creatures in the see free from hazardous chemicals. Find another place where the mind is to dump the waste and not Huon Gulf.

  • It should be a prerequisite for the developer to build a tailings dam onshore to contain its waste. Do not be fooled by the DSPT method. We should not be dictated by these foreign investors at the expense of our people’s safety. Remember,they are serving the interest of their shareholders and that is to profit so they can return good dividend to their shareholders.Its the bottom line that matters for them.

  • Why is CEPA and Minister Were Mori talking about DSTP to the villagers in behalf of the mine developers? DSTP is not the only solution to mine waste management. There are other safer ways to dispose off mine waste. There is enough local engineering knowledge to get the job done at least cost. Just ask Unitech and Morobean Engineers.

    CEPA, Minister Were Mori, MRA and other State agencies should not push the developer’s agenda. Tell the developer to operate waste management on land and NOT DSTP method. That should be the stand.

  • Minister Wera Mori is a geologist by profession. He is an earth scientist himself & yet has no idea what he is preaching about by pushing for the DSTP. DSTP is the wastage of the other minerals of value that belongs to the people of this country that is being disposed to the sea, making it difficult to recover. Wafi investors are only interested in gold & copper. What about the other minerals that can be sold later.

    We have the technology now at Unitech to build land tailings without any destruction to the environment at all. What is the issue? CEPA is not doing enough to source information.

  • Is this the same state agency and Minister who lied about the Basamuk spill? They lack integrity and only talk money. Please leave my Morobe out of your greed.
    Morobeans are not opposed to the mining project, but they are opposed to the proposed tailings disposal method to be used.

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