Mine to direct tailings into Huon Gulf waters

By MALUM NALU
THE Wafi-Golpu mine in Morobe will channel its tailings into the waters of the Huon Gulf, according to an updated feasibility study report released last week.
It said three types of tailings management options had been considered during the various studies undertaken since 2012. They are the various terrestrial tailings storage facilities, dry-stacking and deep-sea tailings placement (DSTP). It opted for the DSTP.
“DSTP studies have been conducted as part of the 2017-18 work programme,” the report said.
“Oceanographic and environmental studies in the Western Huon Gulf to date have confirmed that area to be a highly-suitable environment for DSTP. It hosts a deep canyon leading to a very deep oceanic basin with no evidence of upwelling of deeper waters to the surface.
“The tailings are expected to mix and co-deposit with a significant, naturally occurring loading of riverine sediments from the Markham, Busu and other rivers that also are conveyed via the Markham Canyon to the deep sea. Around 60mtpa of sediment has been estimated.
“The pelagic, deep-slope and sea floor receiving environment has a very low biodiversity as a result of the riverine sediment transport, deposition and regular mass movements (underwater landslides).”