By Gedion Timothy Prime Minister Hon. James Marape announced on Friday, August 2, that the State Negotiating Team (SNT) is actively in discussions with Wafi-Golpu mine developers Newmont and Harmony, aiming to finalize the Mine Development Contract (MDC). This crucial step is pivotal for the swift issuance of the Special Mining Lease (SML).
Speaking in Lae during a meeting attended by Wafi-Golpu landowners, Morobe Governor Hon. Luther Wenge, Deputy Prime Minister and Lae MP Hon. John Rosso, SNT Chairman Mr. Dairi Vele, Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) Managing Director Mr. Jerry Garry, Kumul Mineral Holdings Ltd (KMHL) Chief Executive Officer Mr. Sarimu Kanu, and Mineral Policy and Geohazards Management Secretary Mr. Harry Kore, Prime Minister Marape emphasized the urgency of the process.
During the meeting, Mr. Vele and Mr. Garry provided comprehensive updates on the progress of the Wafi-Golpu Mine. Governor Wenge and landowner representatives expressed their strong desire for a quicker issuance of the SML, urging action to expedite the mine’s development.
In response, Prime Minister Marape called on Governor Wenge to nominate a representative from the Morobe Provincial Government to participate in the SNT for the final negotiations with Newmont and Harmony.
“We are currently exchanging notes with Newmont and Harmony regarding the MDC,” Prime Minister Marape stated. “This contract will underline the basis for the issuance of the SML.”
The Prime Minister outlined the next steps, highlighting the urgency of the negotiations: “Our team has been instructed to move swiftly. In fact, next Tuesday, we will hold a meeting to clarify the MDC, after which we will be ready to sign off on the contract and advance to the SML phase. We are very close to finalizing both the MDC and SML.”
Once the SML is issued, he added, Newmont and Harmony will have a 30-month window to announce their Final Investment Decision (FID) concerning the mine’s development, marking a significant step forward in Papua New Guinea’s resource sector.