PNG: MCC resumes logging operations at Ramu mine

MCC to resume logging operations at Ramu mine

Post Courier

28 July 2016

Mineral Resources Authority has granted permission for Ramu NiCo to resume logging operations at its Kurumbukari mine site. The permission was issued by Inspector Joseph Umare last Monday following a visit to the mine and logging training sites after the  logging cessation order was imposed in August last year by the inspectorate following a fatality following the logging activity by a logging contractor.

Mr Umare in a letter presented to the registered mine manager and general manager of KBK mine Sarimu Kanu reads: “the matter has been examined in the light of what is stated in your submissions referred above along with assessments of training and competencies of your logging operators as well as the discussions held with you and your senior management team at your KBK Mine site.”

“The assurance and commitment given by you and your senior management team to take all necessary measures to ensure health and safety of all persons in your Logging Operation at KBK Mine, I hereby grant you permission to Resume Logging Operation at your KBK Mine.”

The permission was given with several conditions including the health and safety of logging crews and those who are engaged in the logging activity.

The logging permission follows immediately after the permission by the Inspectorate on Thursday, July 21, granting the company regular operation permission, permission for the restart and operation of HPAL (high pressure acid leach) Train Three at Basamuk refinery and the relaxation of cessation order of blasting of limestone at the Basamuk refinery quarry.

The SML8 land area allocated for mining activity at Kurumbukari in the Bundi LLG is mostly covered by natural forest and the permission by the Mines Inspectorate for logging now paves way for the company to clear the area without disruption.

The selected logs of economic value will be transported out of the mine site to a designated milling site by a contractor already engaged by the company.

Ramu nickel/cobalt project is the only mining company conducting logging activity apart from its approved mining permit for the benefit of the local landowners and the province given the economic value of the tree species.

MCC says no problems with Ramu mine tailings disposal

Post Courier

21 July 2016

The deep sea tailings placement pipes (DSTP) which Ramu NiCo Management uses at Basamuk Bay in Rai Coast, Madang Province is in good condition according to inspections. The visual images of the placement pipes were captured by a remote operating vehicle (RVO) during a recent inspection. A report by Ramu NiCo’s Health Safety and Environment Department following the ROV inspection stated that there was no sign of structural disintegration such as leakage of tailings observed.

As a result the Deep Sea Tailings Placement (DSTP) pipeline maintained its design integrity for safe disposal of tailings. The inspection and diving was conducted on the first week of June by Australian ROV specialists and RNML’s Corporate Environment personnel with assistance from Basamuk based Environment Officers.

According to the report visual images also showed marine ecology along the pipeline transects were unaffected. Marine life was abundant and signs of stress not notable. The ROV inspection on RNML’s DSTP submarine pipeline is a mandatory or is an obligatory activity stipulated in the company’s operational environmental management plan (OEMP) carried out annually with a specific purpose to check the integrity of the pipeline.

The inspection involves driving a ROV along the entire length of DSTP pipeline which captures a visual of the route with high powered cameras and displayed on LCD screen installed on-board a working vessel or boat and observatory inspections are done on the display. DSTP inspection for this year was slightly altered to the extent of involving divers to clean the seawater intake pipeline which is only 20m below sea level. The cleaning was done by scuba divers hired from Madang Resort’s Dive Shop to ensure that correct volume of seawater is taken into the mixing tank to mix with tailing before being discharged via the DSTP.