The largest Nickel and Cobalt mine in Papua New Guinea, the Ramu Nickel Project located in Madang Province on the 19th of May took the initiative to explain the processes involved in the down streaming of its nickel and cobalt concentrate at its Basamuk Refinery through its Deep Sea Tailings Placement (DSTP).
Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Limited is among other mines in the country such as Misima and Lihir mine that practices the process of Deep Sea Tailings Placement. Through this Ramu NiCo has been regarded as the safest with zero harm to the environment with statistics results from labs in Australia.
Ramu NiCo Corporate Environment Manager Mr. Steven Opur said during the recent awareness session at Bugajim Primary school in Raicoast District that Ramu NiCo engages third party marine consultants to assess and test samples in Laboratories in Australia as part of the company’s environment protocol and this has shown zero harm to the marine ecosystem.
“Ramu NiCo is a mine that always have experts from the Government, PNG Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) and other entities that has on record that the mine has been practicing a safe DSTP program since the production of the mine’s refinery in 2012”, Steven Opur said.
The Team from the environment department of Ramu NiCo was also accompanied by a representative from CEPA, Madang Provincial Mining Division, and other departments to clarify and explain to the local communities living along Astrology Bay who shares the Bismark Sea with Raicoast, Long Island, Bagbag Island and other small island villages for maritime and fishing activities.
Bugajim Primary School was the first location that the team from Ramu NiCo, National Government Conservation and Environment Protection Authority and Provincial Government’s Mining Department Visited. The team also visit other Schools along Basamuk in Raicoast District to carry out awareness on the systems and process of the mine through this week.
Ramu NiCo Community Affairs Department Officer Mr David Kurame said information sharing is very vital as it helps local people to fully understand how the mining processes works in terms of environment monitoring.
“Take this information and share it amongst fellow community members and families as it will help you to understand how Ramu NiCo is very keen to be an organisation that also prioritises its Tailings management system”, Kurame said.
He said their mission is to educate and explain to everyone on how the mine has always been keen to its operation to create a safe marine ecosystem for the local communities to strive and not to be tangled with conspiracies.
RNML Environment Officer Ms Dorothy Nepa speaking during the presentation (right ) and RNML Environment Officer Rebecca and (left ) and Corporate Environment Manager Mr Steven Opur (back) during the awareness program.