Mount Crater Gold Mine in Papua New Guinea

Crater Gold Mine is located in the western part of Eastern Highlands Province in Lufa District,
adjacent to the eastern border of Simbu Province bordering Kramui Nomane District. It is centered
50 Km southwest of Goroka, the capital town of Eastern Highlands Province.

The closest airstrip is the Guasa Airstrip. From Guasa airstrip it will take you about 2 - 3 hours walk up the steep hills and along the fast flowing rivers. The site is ussually assessed by shopper.

ML510 was granted to Anomaly Limited in November 2014 to carry out a small scale underground
mining and processing operation at Crater Mountain.

Prior to the Mining Application and due processes were followed for granting, there was an exploration license EL 1115 which was known as Nevera and Nimi Prospects. The exploration could have started long ago back in the 1980s and various  PNG National geologists as well as foregne geologist can recall this prospect. The EL 1115 started in 1994 when the exploration licence was granted initially to MACMIN and then jointly explored by BHP. It was then to Anomaly Limited. Anomaly then tirelessly continued the exploration until the mineral resource was defined and further intended to apply for a mining lease to developed the ore body which was defined.

Mineralisation is typically confined to veins and thus dictate the Mining Method to be sub-level caving. The operation utilities hand-held  rock drills and jack picks. Broken ore is transported via mini rail cars to surface for processing.

Tailings discharge from the mill is collected in a sump where solids settle and the water overflow is
channelled into a second sump to further settle any silt and clear water overflows out to the nearby
creek. The solids in the sumps are harvested periodically and stockpiled for further processing at a
later stage.

Thus, it is believed that mine waste is managed within the vicinity and less environmental impacts are anticipated in this operation.

Photo Courtesy of Anomaly website

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APEC Mining Task Force Chair Pays visit to Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) of Papua New Guinea(PNG)

Following a hectic APEC first Senior Official Meeting (SOM 1) meeting held in Port Moresby from 5 – 6 March 2018, the APEC Mining Task (MTF) Force Chair from Chile, Mr Rodrigo Urquiza Caroca made time available on 6 March, 2018 to visit the Mineral Resources Authority and the MTF team. He was introduced to the staff of the Regulatory Operations Division by the Executive Manager, Mr. Roger Gunson.

The APEC MTF Chair plays a key role in coordinating MTF activities within APEC economies that are associated with mineral trade and investment, governance, best practices and policies.

The visit was timely for the MRA as it discussed preparation for the upcoming APEC Mining Week, which is scheduled to be held this year in the APEC third Senior Official Meeting (SOM 3) from 17 – 25 August, 2018.

The APEC Mining Week features key sessions involving public private dialogue on mining issues and best practices in the APEC economies, mining companies CEOs meeting and APEC economies’ Minister Responsible for Mining meeting.

Mr. Caroca was then taken to Motukea wharf to see under water mining equipment. He was impressed to see the level of advance PNG made in terms of innovation and technology in its mining sector.

Mr. Caroca was presented PNG gifts, which include a cane woven tray, two hand-made highlands Bilums (bag) and a packet of local PNG coffee.

Mr. Caroca thanked the ROD’s staff for the gifts and he said he will take them with him to Chile.

Roger Gunson- EM ROD(Left) presenting the present to Mr.Rodrigo Urquiza Caroca(Middle) and Chief Mining Warden of MRA, Mr.Andrew Gunua(Right), 

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