Papua New Guinea's Short-Term Mining Benefit To Long-Term Disaster?

Picture: Australian-based Marengo Mining Ltd has selected a site not too far from the Ramu NiCo’s refinery and planned DSTP system construction.
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Recently, there has been a lot of media interest regarding the mining operations in the Madang province of Papua New Guinea. The controversies surrounding the proposed dumping of mining wastes into the pristine Astrolabe Bay and Bismark Sea by Ramu NiCo the Ramu Nickel and Cobalt mine, has landed the Ramu NiCo in court with the submarine tailings disposals (STD) put on hold pending the court outcome. However, more recently, the developer of Madang’s second biggest mine is considering a deep sea tailings placement (DSTP) system – similar to the one by Ramu NiCo. The pending court case has further delayed construction of the Ramu Nico's refinery in Basamuk in Madang’s Astrolabe Bay.

The Australian-based Marengo Mining Ltd has selected a site not too far from the Ramu NiCo’s refinery and planned DSTP system construction which had been put on hold following an interim injunction taken by a group of landowners who claimed the system would be environmentally damaging. Australian-based Marengo Mining Ltd has selected a site not too far from the Ramu NiCo’s refinery and planned DSTP system construction which had been put on hold following an interim injunction taken by a group of landowners who claimed the system would be environmentally damaging (National, Newspaper)

What is surprising is that there are no conclusive proof that any STD or DSTP will be environmentally safe. Short-term benefit will no doubt come at a very high price to the people of Madang. Here is a report which might give one an overview and insight into STD and whats more interesting is that the reports done by certain environmental consultant companies into the mining operations are usually not published for peer review and scrutiny (Download pdf).

The support of mining by the Papua New Guinea government will always remain a controversial subject. Here is an article which might be of interest.

The government of Papua New Guinea must be mindful of long-term benefits for the people in Madang as well of those in areas within the country where possible mining developments are likely in the future and should make sure that proper tailings holding facilities or disposal systems must be in place before any mining operations can take place. I am aware that compromises will have to be made, but the decisions made today will have future implications whether good or bad. Therefore wisdom is required here by those in authority.

Environmentally safe mine tailings disposals can be built but it will most certainly be very costly. However, the government has the choice to make. Either to compromise the lives of people of Madang and their livelihood for the mining companies or to ask for completely independent and impartial environmental scientists to undertake impartial and sound scientific studies looking at all possible mine tailings disposal options and to give the government its unbiased advise so that decisions can be made in the best interest of the nation. These studies must be published for public and scientific scrutiny. The mining operators are only there for one purpose. To make more money. I shall leave that to the wisdom of the political leaders of Papua New Guinea.