Deal waiting for decision

By CLARISSA MOI
THE revised memorandum of agreement for the Ramu NiCo project in Madang is awaiting the resolution of challenges and issues affecting landowners, according to the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA).
Managing director Jerry Garry told The National that the memorandum of agreement was signed in 2013 for a five-year term.
It was due for review last year.
He said the authority started work on the review in 2018 by sending notices to stakeholders. But it did not receive any response.
Garry said the election of the landowner association executives was conducted last year.
“However, landowner association Basamuk, Inland and Kurumbukari (KBK), took the MRA to court and the proceedings took almost the entire year,” he said.
The court decision was in favour of the MRA and the election was completed by last December.
“In 2020, the Basamuk and Inland Pipeline (landowner association) matters went before courts again, this time, on leadership.
“Given these challenges and issues affecting our landowners, the revised MoA review is still pending,” Garry said.
The US$2.1 billion (K4.08bil) Ramu nickel project near Madang is one of the largest and most ambitious mining and processing projects in the past decade.
Construction was completed in 2012 and the plant had since been progressively brought into production. The Kurumbukari nickel and cobalt laterite mine is connected by a 135km pipeline in the Kurumbukari plateau to the Basamuk processing plant east of Madang town, along the Rai Coast of the Vitiaz Basin.
The Ramu mine and Basamuk processing plant are a joint venture between the Highlands (8.56 per cent), the Government and landowners (6.44 per cent) and Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) Ramu NiCo Ltd (85 per cent).