State signs deal to improve mine waste

 THE Japanese International Cooperation Agency has entered into a capacity building partnership with the Government to improve mine waste management mechanisms in the country.

A memorandum of understanding was signed in Port Moresby last Friday between the Japanese International Cooperation Agency and the Department of Mineral Policy Geohazards Management, the Mineral Resources Authority, Conservation and Environment Protection Authority and the Department of National Planning and Monitoring. 

JICA’s chief representative to Papua New Guinea, Sugiyama Shigeru said the Japanese International Cooperation Agency would transfer Japanese knowledge and technologies on mine waste management in the five-year project.

“The project is aimed at transferring knowledge and technologies of mine waste management through on-the-ground training in Japan,” Shigeru said. 

“(It) occupies two-third of actives in this project and the dispatch of experts to the departments of mineral policy and geohazard management, conservation and environment protection and the Mineral Resource Authority in the first two years of this project.” 

Gunther Joku, the managing director of the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority, said the project was timely and would help the Government. He said a better mine waste management policy would be provided.

The project will include;

• Improve a mine waste management policy:
• establish data to enhance a mine management policy;
• enhance the knowledge and skills for the regulation of mine waste management; and,
• enhance academia knowledge on mine waste management