Misima will shut down properly: Placer Pacific
Copyright 2000 The Independent (PNG)
December 21, 2000
By JOE KANEKANE
OPERATORS of the multi-million kina Misima Mines are optimistic that they will wind down activities on the mine through different phases enabling the government and the community to be accustomed to the finalisation process.
This was made known to the media during a meeting with Placer Pacific officials in Port Moresby recently where the company gave an overview of its project life and the closing.
Placer Pacific is also confident that their programs geared to meet this phase of the mine is capable of bringing their objectives into fruition and that will be achieved in three years.
Laurie Martin, Misima Mines Superintendent for Community and Development said the company has embarked on major programs intended to shut down the mine in conjunction with the national government.
Mr Martin said:’ We have approached all stakeholders in the project to gauge their views on how best we can handle the closure and there has been some positive feedback from them.’
He said a key component of the exercise was the staging of the Mine Closure Forum which saw a good turn out from both Misimans and other interested groups participating.
Mr Martin said he was pleased that many of the groups have heeded that the mine’s imminent closure and they were taking steps in addressing that possibility.
Another area gaining momentum is the rehabilitating of cash crops with the Department of Agriculture and Livestock which has also aroused a lot of interest on the island.
Mr Martin said there is progress in the avenues in which the government is using to explore alternative gardening techniques and the introduction of new crops such as chilli and vanilla.
‘We are also getting good support from the government,’ said Mr Martin of the government’s commitment. The scaling down of the mine involves the state and the company and such effort by the government is commendable.’
Geoff Callister, Misima Mines sustainability planning officer, also gave an overview of some of the tasks which were pursued by the company.
He said special tree species were also introduced to be planted around the pit areas with a view to encouraging regeneration of trees and bushes which were cleared for the mining operations.
Mr Callister said one of the major objectives of the sustainability program is to show that mining can have sustainable effects despite the multitude of work in the course of the mine.
‘We are endeavouring to promote life after the mine and some of the projects are intended to facilitate this objective,’ said Mr Callister.
He said the main priority is to make the local populace become used to the idea of the mine winding down and eventually closing and it was important that they are aware of this.
Mr Callister added that educating them would prepare them for the closure and also make the most of whatever infrastructure they have so that their lives can continue.
‘The mine has had a lot of impact on the lives of the people in terms of their lifestyle and employment so we are giving priority to educating them before the closure,’ said Mr Callister.
In other news Mr Martin also praised the Misima Mines Workers Union for organising themselves to seek jobs for their members when the mine closes.
Mr Martin said this was a first type of arrangement taken by the Workers Union who were also doing their best to ensure that their members are still employed when the mine closes.
He said Misima would also be a good spot for tourism when the mine closes because it was close to the Great Barrier Reef and many tourists he hoped would take advantage of its location to visit the island.
The mine will shut down about March next year but other programs will be in place for the next three years before the company pulls out completely. Previous
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