20 May 2015

Call for limits on mining extraction in Fiji

8:37 am on 20 May 2015

A Fiji opposition MP says a law should be put in place to limit the amount of bauxite that can be shipped out of the country.

Bauxite mine opening in 2011

Bauxite mine opening in 2011 Photo: SUPPLIED / Fiji government

The SODELPA MP Mosese Bulitavu presented a petition to parliament last week, calling on the Government to handover royalties to landowners at the Nawailevu bauxite mine.

The Chinese company Aurum Exploration Limited has nearly completed mining at the site which has produced almost 1 million tonnes of bauxite.

Mr Bulitavu says they've discovered that there is no limit on bauxite exports.

"There should be a law, because it's dealing with soil and rock that will not be returned back to Fiji. It's an environmental issue so there has to be a stop in regards to the limit of things that you can take out of Fiji."

The Lands and Mineral Resources Minister Mereseini Vuniwaqa has directed the royalties issue be investigated by the Committee for Natural Resources.

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