Refinery not responsible: Mine

THE Deep Sea Tailing Placement (DSTP) system used at Ramu NiCo’s Basamuk Refinery in Raicoast district, Madang, is effective and safe and has no connection with the slurry spillage incident last month, according to the company’s management.
“The reported slurry spillage incident on Aug 24 was encountered unintentionally from the refinery,” the company said
“ It is misunderstood by the community and public to be the failure of DSTP system. The slurry spill incident has no connection to the DSTP system.
“The slurry spilled were from the neutralisation area rather than tailing treatment circuit at the Basamuk refinery.”
The company said the DSTP system was a technical method utilised to deal with the tailing as an alternative of conventional tailing dam.
The system has been successfully adopted in many industries, including Lihir gold mine in New Ireland, PNG and Island copper mine in Canada to name a few.
The Ramu NiCo project adopted the DSTP system to deal with the tailing after comprehensive investigation and consultation and the system was designed by a reputable company from the United States,” the company said. “In light of the non-toxic nature of the tailing of Ramu Nickel project and the peculiar submarine topography of Basamuk Bay area where there are few ideal canyons existing in the deep sea which is favourable to the DSTP system utilisation, Ramu NiCo Project adopted DSTP system.”
Since the formal operation in December 2012, the DSTP system proved successful for more than seven years.
The tailings are placed more than 200 metres below the sea and no upwelling or rupture occurred faced since its inception.
“A company from Australia is engaged every year to monitor and inspect the integrity of DSTP pipeline system using a remotely controlled vehicle (ROV).
“The operational marine monitoring programme (OMMP) was required by Conservation and Environment Protection Agency pursuant to the Environment Act of 2000 and the Environment Permit (EP) issued to the Ramu Nickel project to monitor and assess the potential impacts of the DSTP system on the marine ecosystem in the Basamuk Bay area every five years.
“Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Limited, as a responsible company, is committed to operate the project in a safe and environmentally sound manner,” the company said.
“The company will undertake its responsibility over damage caused to the sea on Aug 24 from the slurry spillage once the extent of the damage is independently verified by responsible state agencies (Cepa and MRA).”
Ramu Nico said earlier that the incident had occurred accidentally and not out of negligence from the company to comply with relevant industrial standards and practices.
“It must be reiterated that the incident occurred in Aug 24 at the Basamuk refinery has nothing to do with the DSTP system.”