- The Eastern Highlands region of Papua New Guinea could be the next major mining zone especially—Gold.
And, the backwater townships of Kainantu and Henganofi exploration region are gaining prominence as the focal point of intense exploration.
- The headwaters of the mighty Ramu River which meanders through low lying down into the ranges and plains— containing the Billion kina Ramu nickel-cobalt deposit - starts in Henganofi and Kainantu Districts.
Kainantu had its first Mt Victor mine several kilometres west of Kainantu township.
- The small scale mine worth about five million kina was mined by Highlands Pacific in the mid-nineties and about 70 kms south in the huge Mt Crater Valley where major gold deposit is being tested and proven for exploration quality by an overseas company in close liaison with the Resource Owners.
- Then there is the Bilimoia mine of 1.4 million ounces of gold with a 20-30 years lifetime currently being mined. However amid all the hype and enthusiasm in the Kainantu township and the deposit areas— a group of people tucked away between one of the low lying ridges in between Ramu, Bilimoia, Kainantu and Mt Crater believe they are living on a major deposit of rare mineral including the much sought after gold.
- They are located within the Henganofi District of the Eastern Highlands Province
These people have done their home-work after seeing the experiences of Mt Victor small gold mine and the negotiations leading up to the agreement on the Bilimoa mine just 10 kms northwest of their 'major deposit'. Due to the loss of two lives as no proper precautionary measures were taken by Highlands Gold Ltd in carrying out then exploration work the resources owners objected to the company renewing its exploration license when it expired in 2003.
- The resource owners believe they can find a partner who can negotiate and make a deal with them on mutually agreed terms. They engaged a local consulting firm which reviewed the previous exploration activities of the area and provided them with a report of the potential of their resource.
- Three target areas under a joint-venture arrangement with a interested partner was the target of the review. The Review Report recommended further exploration to evaluate the economic value of the three target areas in a three-phase exploration activity. Phase one—would include detail mapping, soil sampling and IP & ground magnetic surveys. Phase two - scout drilling & additional, mapping, sampling & trenching and Phase three - delineation drilling, metallurgical sampling & testing and feasibility studies.
- Manda Resource Owners Chairman, Mr. Fofome HUFOHU said,.." four major prospecting companies had explored the Kesar Manda River deposit since 1982, spending many years sampling and testing but none had gone further to mine the deposit because of lack of infrastructure. The Bilimoia mine is progressing well just 10 km due northwest of KesarManda River deposit along the same rolling range and extends down towards the Ramu valley and around where the billion kina Ramu nickel-cobalt mine is being developed. Bilimoia and Ramu mines are further down from our deposit - the rolling-mountains of the Bismarck Range and the mighty Ramu River starts up here where we are and yet our prospect is still waiting while others nearby or further down are being mined. We could be sitting on a major lobe and any interested partner will have to come and negotiate with us to extract this major deposit”.
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