Calls for wider consultation

By PETER ESILA
GOLD can be found in every river in Papua New Guinea, according to the Sustainable Alluvial Mining Service (Sams).
Its founder Immaculate Javia said alluvial mining had no policy even though about K300 million worth of alluvial gold was exported annually.
“There is no specific policy and we want to see the Department of Mineral Policy and Geohazards Management have a wide consultation with people,” she said.
Javia urged the Government to get a specific policy for the industry.
“The laws that we have now regulating the mining industry are more aligned to the large scale mining sector,” she said.
“That is why in order to address specific issues we have identified in our experience and in our industry, there must be a specific policy for this sector.”
Sams has developed an information paper which it plans to disseminate to stakeholders.
“One way or another, it is connected to the alluvial mining space so that they can look at the input of the information, and it is up to the department and MRA (Mineral Resources Authority) to present it to the government,” she said.