PNG Supreme Court allows Ramu Nickel's toxic waste dumping at sea
Published by MAC on 2011-12-27Source: Ramu Mine Wordpress, Reuters
The Supreme Court has ruled that Chinese mining company, MCC, can dump 100 million tons of toxic waste from the Ramu nickel mine into the sea - read the Judgement from SCA 84 of 2011 (1.7mb).
Previous article on MAC - Ramu deep sea waste dumping can proceed, says PNG judge
Chinese given green light for marine dumping of toxic waste
Ramu Mine Wordpress
22 December 2011
Chinese miner, MCC, and its junior partner, Highlands Pacific have been given a green light by Papua New Guinea's Supreme court to pollute Madang's pristine Basamuk Bay with 100 million tons of toxic waste from the Ramu nickel mine.
In a two to one decision, Justice Harthson and Justice Sawong have rejected an appeal by Rai Coast landowners against an earlier National Court decision allowing waste dumping to go ahead in Astrolabe Bay, Madang Province
Justice Davani, in dissenting, has suggested that changes be made to the Environment Act to stop Mine Waste being dumped into the sea.
Justice Sawong and Harthson say landowners have not proven Public and Private nuisance.
PNG rejects appeal to block Ramu nickel sea dumping
Reuters
22 December 2011
SYDNEY - A move to block deep sea dumping of waste from the Ramu nickel mine in Papua New Guinea has been rejected in an appeals court, ending a lengthy legal battle delaying the Chinese-backed project, junior partner Highlands Pacific said on Thursday.
The $1.5 billion project, one the biggest Chinese investments ever in the impoverished South Pacific nation, has been plagued by protests over plans to dump 100 million tonnes of waste into the Bismarck Sea.
A court in Papua New Guinea had already approved the dumping, but an appeal by local landowners was lodged against the decision in September.
"It is now time to get on with the commissioning and operation of the project and for the benefits to start flowing through to all stakeholders," Highlands Managing Director John Gooding said.
Highlands holds an 8.56 percent stake in the project. Metallurgical Corp of China leads a Chinese consortium that owns 85 percent, with the rest held by the Papua New Guinea government.
The project, the first of its kind for Papua New Guinea, is being designed to yield 31,150 tonnes of nickel and 3,300 tonnes of cobalt a year for at least 20 years.
The partners expect the mine to be running at maximum capacity by late 2013.
(Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Lincoln Feast)