8 Dec 2011

Fiji province concerned about effects of mining project

4:21 pm on 8 December 2011

Concerns have been raised about the environmental effect a planned copper and gold mining project could have on the Naitasiri province near Suva in Fiji.

The Namosi Joint Venture, the company undertaking the mining project, has not yet been given the final go ahead on the proposed mine.

Peni Sokia, the head of the Naitasiri council, says they are concerned about how the area would be rehabilitated once mining was completed and that the mine will be positioned near a popular river.

"Most of the people, the community they use the river as a source of water and other necessities, they do go down and use the river, and they are concerned that it's going to polluted or anything like that."

Peni Sokia, says they are waiting on an Environment Impact Assessment report which is due in the middle of next year.