Work at third bauxite mine in Fiji underway

Transcript

A lease for a third bauxite mining site has been issued in Fiji, and will be the largest so far of the sites in the country's Northern Division.

The Chinese company Aurum Exploration Limited has nearly completed mining at the first site in Nawailevu, which has produced almost 1 million tonnes of bauxite, all of which has been exported to China.

The same company has just started clearing the third site at Dreketi.

The Mineral Resources Department Director, Malakai Finau, told Bridget Tunnicliffe where the company is at with the second mine in Lekutu.

MALAKAI FINAU: Mining operations have started and actual mining has also commenced.

BRIDGET TUNNICLIFFE: Are you expecting Lekutu to produce similar amounts of bauxite to what was produced at Nawailevu?

MF: Oh no, no, no. The Lekutu site is much much smaller, and there's a much much smaller amount of bauxite compared to the Nawailevu one.

BT: Do you know if other countries are showing interest in importing bauxite from Fiji?

MF: Not that I am aware of at the moment.

BT: And how have the people in Lekutu, how have the locals there responded to this mine?

MF: In terms of consultation, there has been quite a lot of consultation conducted, before, during and now. And even consultation is continuing now. The response has been positive. The majority had supported the mining because of the obvious benefits that are there for them, as well as for the company and for the government as well.

BT: And are there plans for a third site now in Dreketi?

MF: Yes, that's correct. In fact we have just issued the mining rights for this third site, known as Naibulu East.

BT: Is that just in the investigation stage?

MF: Yes, that's correct. They are beginning the mining development operations. They had to clear the site, and do the roads.

BT: What about the size of Dreketi, how does it compare to Lekutu and Nawailevu?

MF: This one is much bigger in size. It covers an area of 222 hectares, as compared to 150 hectares for the first Nawailevu site.

BT: Are you satisfied that the company will take care of any environmental impacts?

MF: Yes, the environmental performance in terms of the environment management at the Nawailevu site has been good. There has not been a major environmental issue, even though there are some minor ones. But fortunately we have not had any major environmental issue.

Malakai Finau says he's not aware of a petition from landowners in Nawailevu, demanding their share of royalty from Aurum Exploration.