Statement misleading

THE functions and powers of the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA), among others, are to oversee the administration and enforcement of the Mining (Safety) Act 1977 and Regulation, Mining Act 1922 and its subsequent amendments, OK Tedi Mining Act and agreements, policies, agreements and others.
The granting of an alluvial mining lease (AML), mining lease (ML) and special mining lease (SML) is controlled under Mining Act 1992 and its amended acts.
So far, all mining activities are on land.
Papua New Guinea land laws are largely based on customary land title.
Customary land covers about 97 per cent of the total land area in the country.
The remaining 3 per cent of land is held as either freehold title or held privately under a 99-year State lease, or is State land.
Establishment of various landowner interests and rights such as ownership (landholder) or user right is a prerequisite to discussing and securing key agreements for project development, including the compensation agreement, resettlement agreement and development forum processes under the Mining Act.
The holder of an AML or tenement holder by law, owns all alluvial minerals derived from and lawfully mined from that land.
The customary landowner or landholder requires financial capacity to demonstrate that he can fulfil the requirements of AML, which is basically to mine the alluvial minerals he owns.
Therefore, it is only logical that the landowners of a portion of a proven reserve of alluvial mineral deposit be supported by relevant State agencies for a bankable land title via voluntary customary land registration or lease back process under land laws such as Land Dispute Settlement Act, Land Registration Act, Land Act, Land Group Incorporation Act, Land Tenure Conversion Act and other relevant laws to secure financial assistance to purchase mining machinery and equipment to conduct mining operations on their land.
The story “Mining lease not land title: MRA” in The National, in my opinion, is misleading as all hard rock and alluvial mining activities are located on land where 97 per cent is customarily owned and landowners have the right under applicable land laws to have a bankable land title over their land and also become tenement holder.

Misleading Resources Authority