Alluvial mining exports

MINERAL Resources Authority managing director Jerry Garry says alluvial mining is an important industry that once generated K650 million annually in exports.
Garry said it was asked why there was a sudden drop in recent times.
“Are we looking at gold smuggling activities in the country?” he asked.
He said this during the Papua New Guinea Resources Week at the University of PNG in Port Moresby yesterday.
“We seem to forget about the alluvial sector,” Garry said.
“We seem to undermine the people working in the creeks and rivers but when you look at it, at one stage they exported close to more then K640 million worth of gold, this outperforms some of the established industries like forestry.
“Alluvial gold sector is a significant sector, is it a small-to-medium enterprise, and when you look the numbers in 2022 and 2023, there is a decline; I am asking myself why this is happening, because from around 80,000 ounces of gold there’s been a drop down to 36,200 ounces of gold last year.
“So are we looking at smuggling activities in the country?
“Or what is this number telling us?
“So I am probing this to find out how this number has drastically dropped, we are talking about close to K500 million worth of gold.”
Meanwhile, Garry said in terms of the Wafi-Golpu project: “We anticipate to conclude the Mining
Development Contract negotiations, there are two or three outstanding matters that need to be addressed before we conclude.
“Shortly thereafter, we will have the community development agreement consultation and then as far as the regulator, I am ready to issue the special mining lease (SML) when we get the mining development contract signed.
“It is important because it forms part of the grant of the SML.
“It also guides how the project will be operated, so it is a critical part of the project.”
He said for Porgera so far, “they have done four shipments so far in terms of exporting gold bars”.
“They have exported just over 33,000 ounces of gold,” he said.
Garry said one of the promising mines in the country now was K92 in Kainantu, Eastern Highlands.
“After the stage three expansion of K92 mine, we will probably produce almost 400,000 to 500,000 tonnes of gold equivalent per annum which will match with the production output from Porgera mine.”
Meanwhile, Garry said all the powers for regulating the mining business had already been transferred to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (Arob) except the mining safety aspect of the business.
“So you have all the powers under Arob to regulate your mining business,” he said.
Department of Petroleum and Energy secretary David Manau, gave an update on the mining sector: “We have exported so far up to the end of May around K6 billion worth of metals from this country.”