The PNG Government remains in talks with Newmont and Harmony Gold to finalise the mine development contract (MDC) of Wafi-Golpu.
The MDC is a critical step in issuing a special mining lease for the copper-gold mine, something Morobe Governor Luther Wenge is hoping will happen quickly.
Prime Minister James Marape has requested that Wenge nominate a representative from the Morobe Provincial Government to be included in the state negotiating team for the final round of negotiations with the miners.
“We are now going through exchanging notes (with Newmont and Harmony) for the MDC Hon Marape stated during the meeting,” a Mineral Resources Authority statement said. “They (Newmont and Harmony) have given us their views; we have also given them our views on the proposed MDC.
“I have instructed our team to move fast. In fact, next Tuesday, we’ll be having a meeting on this matter so that we all have a clear view on the MDC. After that, we’ll be ready to sign off the MDC, and then we move to the special mining lease.
“We are almost there, in as far as MDC and special mining lease are concerned.”
Once the special mining lease is issued, Newmont and Harmony will have 30 months to announce their final investment decision for the development of Wafi-Golpu.
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