Need for mine closure guidelines highlighted

THERE is a need for a policy on rehabilitation and mine closure in Papua New Guinea, says the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA).
Managing director Jerry Garry said this during the PNG Mining and Petroleum conference in Port Moresby yesterday.
He said MRA would be launching the document later this month.
Garry said MRA was working to address the issue with stakeholders on the impacts and steps to take to address them.
“Despite the many challenges that we have, the Mining Act provides a general guideline, but I believe that these are the laws that carry the industry through thick and thin and successfully over the many years,” he said.
“Having said that over the last couple of years, through collaboration with Intergovernmental Forum, the MRA team has basically put together Mining Project Rehabilitation and Closure Guidelines.
“It will provide some guidelines with all of us as to how we deal with mining closure until such time where a proper policy is drafted.”
The document provides guidance for the administration, regulation and monitoring of the rehabilitation and mine closure obligations in PNG, with the understanding that mine sites exist in various stages of operation and evolution (through proposal variations and permitted amendments) and will consequently require different content.