Marengo proud of active ops in PNG

By SINCLAIRE SOLOMON, The National

Marengo Mining is proud to be an international corporation with an active presence in Papua New Guinea, its chairman John Horan said in the company’s 2010 annual report.
“We are operating in a country which has a thriving mining and exploration industry and a pro-mining environment,” he said of the Western Australian company which is developing the Yandera copper-molybdenum-gold project in the Bundi region of Madang.
Horan said the company was committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment.
“It is also committed to maintaining the excellent relationships established with the communities at and around Yandera, with other communities and with government authorities.
“At all times we aim to continue to operate in accordance with world class environmental standards, both on the broad scale and in regard to the environmental well-being of the local communities.”
In the critical area of funding, an equity raising of A$21.7 million was completed in September last year in Canada and Australia.
This saw George Soros’ Quantum Partners LDC join the share register with 19.9% holding.
Marengo’s major shareholder, Sentient Global Fund, also contributed to maintain its 26.65% holding.
Another substantial capital raising, undertaken since the end of the financial year, saw a further A$21.4 million raised.
The company has the ongoing support of Sentient Global Fund and Quantum Partners LDC who have both maintained their percentage holdings, as well as additional support from North American institutional investors.
The funds raised are being directed to the completion of the DFS, and to providing general corporate and working capital.
Since early 2005, Marengo had focused all of its efforts on the Yandera project, Horan said.

PNG seen as biggest tuna processor after ’14

By PEARSON KOLO, The National

PAPUA New Guinea is expected to emerge as the world’s largest tuna processor after 2014.
This would become possible once PNG catches, processes and sells the final product of tuna to the European Union (EU) markets and other markets in the world.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigrations Sam Abal said this last week after returning from Europe where he had a follow up meeting with the European parliamentary committee (EUPC) on international trade in Brussels.
Abal who was accompanied by the Fisheries Minister Ben Semri and senior executives of the National Fisheries Authority said the meeting was in preparation for the EUPC to finalise the interim economic partnership agreement (IEPA) signed in 2007 between PNG and EU.
“Under the IEPA agreement, fish caught anywhere in the world which is processed on shore in PNG can be exported to the European Union duty-free,” Abal explained.
“Other countries supplying fish to the European markets are also pushing for similar preferential market access so it is in PNG’s interest to defend the IEPA for its own fish products.”
Abal said more than US$400 (K1 billion) million had already been committed by potential investors who want to set up fishing and processing industries in the country.
 

Call to work with cops

By PORENI UMAU, Post Courier

RESIDENTS in Madang have been urged to co-operate with police to combat crime and not criticise them.
This message came to the fore after two senior public servants took a swipe at police in Madang citing delay in response to an incident last weekend where 46 vehicles were stoned by drunken youths from Public Tank.
Madang Provincial Police Com-mander Superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jr hit out at the two public servants, after they fronted up at the police station last Saturday evening and complained to the duty officers for not being quick to act.
He said that most of the policemen were attending to a fight at Bogia over the weekend when the incident occurred.
Supt Wagambie said police in Madang were down with manpower and resources including vehicles and fuel. He said police were stretched to the limit where many officers did not change shift but continued when off duty.
He said the public should appreciate that they had their rests while police officers worked from Sunday to Sunday where they had to face welfare problems because their families hardly see them at home.
He said that police were also short of radios and officers on duty had to fork out K50 to K60 every day out from their pockets to buy credits for their mobile phones to do police duties.
Supt Wagambie said policemen had to fight it out in trouble areas and come up without any arrests because leaders were unwilling to give up the trouble makers.
He said that for this reason, people should think first before taking a swipe at police.
He said that his policemen were committed and put their work before family obligations and leaders such as the two senior public servants who live in trouble areas should help police by talking to the youths to leave such misbehaviour.
Supt Wagambie said that community leaders, councilors and mothers should speak out against illegal home brewing and consumption, marijuana abuse, hold ups and petty crimes but instead protect their children.

MP blames government

By RIGGO NANGAN, The National

MARKHAM MP Koni Iguan yesterday blamed the government for the death of prominent evangelist Pastor Joseph Kingal.
Iguan, who appeared upset when he went on Radio Morobe’s Kundu FM yesterday morning, said the relatives of those who have died from accidents occurring at the “death trap” Zumim Bridge in Markham Valley, should sue the government for negligence.
Iguan said he had, on numerous occasions, been calling on the government to redesign the bridge to a safer standard after an increase in accidents and deaths were attributed to its current state.
Two months ago, Iguan, accompanied by Bulolo MP Sam Basil and Tewai-Siassi MP Vincent Michaels, visited the bridge and pleaded with the government to do something.
He said he had brought the matter up in parliament where Works and Transport Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye gave an assurance that he would “look into it”.
Iguan said at the time of taking the matter up in parliament, the number of deaths stood at 56.
“As I speak now, the number has soared to almost 200,” he said.
“They were told something like this would happen and there was ample time to do something to prevent it, but they failed.”
Iguan said he would file a petition to Polye and give the government 14 days to act, in default, he would mobilise his people and they would block off the road to get attention.
“I am sad over the death of this young spiritual leader.
“Kingal has contributed meaningfully to both the spiritual and economical developments of the country,” he said.

Marengo inks financing deal with China

By PATRICK TALU, The National

MARENGO Mining (MGO), the operator of the Yandera gold, copper and molybdenum project in Madang, has signed a landmark financing and off-take deal with a Chinese construction and engineering group for its 100% owned Yandera project.
In a statement released yesterday, MGO said the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China’s Nonferrous Metal Industry’s Foreign Engineering and Construction (NFC) was facilitated by Perth-based Arccon WA Pty Ltd (Arccon).
Under the MOU, Marengo has agreed to work exclusively with NFC and Arccon to establish the cost and programme for delivery of the Yandera project in parallel with the completion of the current definitive feasibility study (DFS).
Marengo’s managing director Les Emery said: “This potentially paves the way for formal agreements which will underpin the development of one of the world’s significant new copper projects.”
“While the foundation of the MOU is the construction and engineering contract for the Yandera project, it is important to note that the deal also contemplates NFC facilitating project finance and concentrate off-take for the project, together with potentially investing either in Marengo or the project, or both,” he said.
NFC president Wang Hongqian added: “NFC looks forward to a close and co-operative relationship with Marengo Mining as we work together to lay the foundations for one of the world’s biggest new copper mines in PNG.”
They said the discussions would be conducted to enter into a formal construction agreement (engineering, procurement and construction or EPC contract).
Here, Marengo will appoint NFC as the principal contractor, under a lump-sum turnkey contract, following a detailed evaluation of the project construction costs to be undertaken by NFC as part of the final stage of the DFS.

PNG Mourns

PAPUA NEW Guinea is in mourning over the sudden and tragic loss of evangelist Joseph Kingal.
Kingal, in his early 40s, from Western Highlands, as the head of The Word, The Spirit and The Cross evangelistic ministries based at Omili, Lae, was seen as the flag bearer of hope and redemption in a country racked with social problems.
The graduate accountant-turned preacher and wife, Susan, registered the evangelistic movement as directors in 1996 and went on nationwide crusades wooing in thousands to their nightly sessions.
Their messages, based on the Bible at the week-long crusades, hit a chord with thousands of people at all levels of society.
Many people from the streets and settlements of Lae, Port Moresby, Mt Hagen, Goroka, Madang and Rabaul were shocked upon learning of Kingal’s demise in a nasty traffic accident on a bridge in the Markham Valley, Morobe, while returning from a crusade in Madang.
The influence he wielded was so much so that his death had sparked people into taking up a national government function of building and maintaining infrastructure. People are now trying to set up a fund from donations from the public to make the Zumim bridge safe.
Many callers yesterday were told that Kingal had passed away and that his wife was at the Angau Memorial Hospital requiring life-saving surgery and one of their children was being monitored while in a critical condition.
Outside his ministry at the old Tanubada ice cream factory at Omili, hundreds of mourners and well-wishers tried to gain entry but were prevented.
Members of the ministry had barred the public, only allowing pastors to enter as Kingal’s body lay, having been transferred from Angau Memorial Hospital.
More mourners were flocking in by road from Madang and the highlands provinces of Enga, Southern, Western, Chimbu and Eastern.
Traffic officers at Air Niugini said many more would be travelling in from Port Moresby, Kimbe and Rabaul.
In Port Moresby, a prayer vigil was being held by fellow evangelist Pastor Joseph Walters where hundreds of mourners attended.
Kingal’s death had gripped a nation so much so that public office holders, including Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane and settlement dwellers, were sending in their condolences to the media.
An attempt to blanket news coverage was made by the managing director of Wantok Radiolight, Pawa Warena, who asked not to broadcast “any more stories” about the accident “until advised by the Joseph Kingal Ministry”.
But public demand for details surrounding the death, and of the state of his family members, was overwhelming.

Marengo pleased with drillings

MARENGO Mining has announced significant intersections of copper and molybdenum from its drilling at Yandera, Madang.
Marengo managing director Les Emery announced last Thursday the strong results from within existing resources and extensions to key deposits.
He said in a media statement that they were pleased to report further positive drilling results from their 100%-owned Yandera copper-molybdenum-gold project in the foothills of Bismarck Range.
Emery said drilling within the Yandera central deposit indicated significant intersections of copper and molybdenum sulphides both within the current resource envelops and the extensions of Imbruminda and Dimbi-Gamagu zones (see illustration).
He said in addition, Meringo Mining’s initial four-hole, deep drilling programme continued to produce “positive results”.
Emery said recent drukkubg activities at Yandera had focused on better definition of the mineralised zones at Imbruminda, in addition to a concerted drilling programme to expand the Dimbi-Gamagu zone by following up on the excellent results of a hole (YD245) drilled at the end of the 2009 season.
In addition, the miner was completing an infill drilling programme in the Gremi zone, to elevate a portion of the current resource from an indicated resource to a measured resource category.
He said one hole drilled in Dimbi, as was expected, encountered good grades, including significant molybdenum values.
Emery said: “One of the interesting characteristics of this Dimbi hole is the role played by molybdenum, dominating in most cases over copper. In addition, broad gold intersections are common with grades of up to 0.4g/t Au over a 15mm intersection.”
He said drilling would continue for the rest of the year in this zone, to better define the extent of the Dimbi structure and its control on mineralisation.

Marengo eyes expansion

By SINCLAIRE SOLOMON, The National

MARENGO Mining Ltd has lodged a new exploration application north-east of its Yandera project site in the Finisterre Ranges, Madang (see map), to follow up on stream sediment gold anomalies identified in the recent mining sector support programme funded by the European Union.
Company managing director Les Emery said in a statement yesterday the new application (ELA1851) was  a particularly exciting development for the company as there had been almost no prospecting or geographical mapping work carried out in Finisterre Ranges and accordingly, the mineral potential of this area was unknown.
He said that geologically, it represented a possible strike extension to the Torricelli Mountains between Wewak in East Sepik and Vanimo in West Sepik.
Perth-based Emery, who visited the Yandera copper-molybdenum-gold prospect two weeks ago, also said the Yandera regional activities had progressed well.
He said  that this year’s dry season had allowed Marengo Mining to instigate a reconnaissance stream sediment and geographical mapping survey in EL1665 Koinambe, located northwest of the Yandera central deposit.
Emery said two principal drainages were investigated over a one-month period by a small team comprising one geologist, two field assistants and a community relations officer.
“The local people were very pleased to see the company expanding into their area where various alluvial gold workings are currently exploited by the landowners.
“The results from this work will be available in the first quarter of 2011,” he said.
Marengo Mining is an Australian-based metals company whose core focus is exploring and developing the world-class Yandera project in the highlands of Madang.

Court lifts injunction on controversial DSTP

By JAYNE SAFIHAO, The National

The National Court in Madang last Friday lifted the interim injunction order of March 19 on the construction and operation of the deep sea tailings placements (DSTP) system at Ramu NiCo Basamuk refinery on Rai Coast, Madang.
The 4pm decision followed the morning’s ruling where Justice David Cannings granted leave to the three remaining plaintiffs Eddie Tarsie, Farina Siga and Peter Sel - to withdraw from the proceeding and refused the application by Louis Medaing, a land claimant in Basamuk, to join the proceeding.
Tiffany Nonggorr of Nonggorr William Lawyers on the same day filed a fresh application to challenge the DSTP programme in the name of Medaing against Ramu NiCo, along with a notice of motion seeking another “urgent” interim injunction.
Cannings said the new application would be dealt with on its merits.
Landowners from Basamuk and Rai Coast outside the court house welcomed the decision and thanked Tarsie, Siga and Sel for discontinuing the litigation which had cost Ramu NiCo a lot of money and had severely hampered the multi-billion kina project.
Landowner issues stemming from an inaction by the Lands Titles Commission, divisions among the clans, the question of whether the plaintiffs were intimidated, harassed and threatened or bought off leading to their withdrawal and the subsequent joinder application by Medaing were argued with intensity and at length during the week before Cannings made his ruling.
He said the effect of the interim injunction in March was made for good reasons, as demonstrated by the decisions of the Supreme Court in Ramu NiCo (MCC) Ltd vs Eddie Tarsie SCA 40/2010 on July 16.
“However, at all stages of the proceedings I have emphasised that the court was aware of the impact of its decisions and the court’s desire and the need to have the trial expedited. If Medaing were at this late stage to be joined as a plaintiff there would inevitably be a further delay.
“There would be further uncertainty as to the future of the project.
“There would not be in the public interest nor would it advance the interest of justice.”
Cannings said if Medaing wanted to start fresh proceedings, he was at liberty to do so, giving him seven days.
He ordered that leave was granted to Tarsie, Siga and Sel  to discontinue the proceedings provided that each of them file and serve a notice of discontinuance by today and that all parties bear their own costs of the entire proceedings.

Ramu nickel landowner hurls verbal abuse at Madang

By JAYNE SAFIHAO, The National

A DISGRUNTLED landowner from Kurumbukari vented his frustration at the outcome of the deep sea tailings placement (DSTP) system hearing by hurling threats and challenges aimed at the lone plaintiff outside the National Court House gates in Madang yesterday afternoon.
Chairman of Kurumbukari Landowners Association David Tigavu and his supporters started their verbal challenges once outside the courtroom door.
The morning session, similar to Wednesday’s proceedings, had both the plaintiffs’ counsel and the defence counsel still arguing about the question of whether Louie Medaing’s application should be allowed before the court as proper thereby being a plaintiff in the proceedings continuing or not.
Judge David Cannings reserved his decision to 2pm and then further adjourning to today.
Tigavu and his supporters had expected a ruling yesterday morning but were frustrated at the adjournment and took out their anger at Medaing.
“If we have to fight over this project, then we will fight and it will be a civil war. Stop hiding inside there and come outside here and we fight,” he said, referring to Medaing.
“We want development and the lawyers keep twisting things,” he said.
Tiffany Nonngorr, representing Medaing, stood at the court’s locked gates with police monitoring the situation outside, listening to the challenge.
Tigavu told her: “You will not bring development to us. You will not feed us. Our children right now are not attending school. Will you support them? We are the least developed place and want development to come. All you care about is money.”
Moreover, he said that Cannings was “sympathetic to you people”.
This comment prompted the court sheriff to warn Tigavu: “Whatever your arguments never bring the name of the judge into it.”
Police then ordered Tigavu and his group to leave.