>> Despite some of the localized shrill opposition (Ramu Mine blog anyone?) Nautilus is doing some good -- if underpublicized -- public work in PNG.
Nautilus working with villages
A team of officials from Nautilus Minerals is currently conducting a community needs assessment with villages close to the Solwara 1 site in the West Coast Central and Namatanai Local Level Government (LLG) areas in New Ireland Province.
The purpose of the assessment is for the company to better understand the needs of the communities that will be affected by the first deep sea mining project in PNG and the region.
“Information collected during this study will help us finalise our CSR Strategic Plan with the NIPA (New Ireland Provincial Government) and LLGs by identifying priority areas. The data will also form a baseline to track our progress,” says company Country Manager Mel Togolo.
Togolo said this is the first community engagement program for 2015 alongside representatives from CEPA and Mineral Resource Authority (MRA).
He also said they have received positive feedback for their water and sanitation pilot project that was implemented late last year.
Two schools received training in the benefits of good hygiene practices, new toilet facilities and a water supply solution which provides access to clean drinking water.
Togolo said an audit of this project shows a positive improvement in the health of school children which has reduced absenteeism rates in the two schools.
“I am proud to announce that throughout 2015 we will continue the implementation of this program in other schools along the west coast of New Ireland.”
He added that Nautilus is committed to working with the New Ireland Provincial Government, the community and the State of Papua New Guinea to implement health, education and infrastructure programs.
“It is envisioned that through these programs the villages close to the Solwara 1 site will benefit from improved living standards and see long lasting improvement in their quality of life as a result of our project.”
Nautilus is the first company to explore the ocean floor for polymetallic seafloor massive sulphide deposits and is developing its first project at Solwara 1, in the territorial waters of PNG, where it is aiming to produce copper and gold. The company has been granted all necessary environmental and mining permits.
The company plans to grow its tenement holdings in the exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of PNG, Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Zealand as well as other areas outside the Western Pacific.
Listed on the Toronto (TSX), and OTCQX (NUSMF) exchanges, Nautilus has among its cornerstone shareholders three of the world’s largest resource companies and its alliances and technical partnerships position it as the world leader in deep water exploration and development of minerals systems.
- See more at: http://www.pngloop.com/2015/03/28/nautil...-villages/
