Mineral authority yet to receive environment permit: Director

By SHIRLEY MAULUDU
THE Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) is yet to receive a copy of the environment permit issued for the special mining lease application on the Wafi-Golpu copper/gold project in Morobe, an official says.
Managing director Jerry Garry said the mining lease application was lodged by Wafi-Golpu joint venture partners Newcrest Mining Ltd and Harmony Gold Mining Ltd, on Aug 28, 2016.
“However, the MRA has only learnt about the issuance of the environment permit through the mainstream media,” Garry told The National.
He was responding to the announcement last week by the Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Minister Wera Mori that the Government had granted the environment permit so that the construction phase of the project could start.
“The Wafi-Golpu joint venture has an obligation to provide a copy to the MRA as a mandatory requirement and pre-requisite for the SML 10 application to be deliberated by the Mining Advisory Council (Mac),” Garry said.
“The environment permit is an independent and very rigorous process guided by the Environment Act 2000 and its associated regulations.
“It mainly identifies impacts of the mining project on environment, people, socio-economy and devise management plans to mitigate and reduce adverse effects.
“Once an environment permit is issued to project development proponents, the council will be satisfied and comfortable that waste streams and impacts have been dealt with to the satisfaction of the State.
“When the copy of the environment permit for SML10 reaches the MRA, the technical assessment will table their technical assessment before the council.
“The council may request further information from the proponents until it is fully satisfied.”
He said the process could take up to three months.