Frieda River (SMLA9) Mining Warden Hearing

Frieda River copper and gold project is located at the border of East and West Sepik. The holder of the exploration license EL58 lodged an application  for a Special Mining Lease on 24th june 2016. This date is the date at which the application was registered by the Registrar of Mineral Tenements. This process is pretty much similar to that of land lease process.

As per the process, the Registrar upon registration gives notice to the Chief Mining Warden and other officers for technical appraisal. This triggers the next procedure which is the Warden Hearing Process. the Chief Warden together with the registrar fixes a date and time and venue and notify impacted stakes holders regarding the hearing. This is a public forum for the impacted stake holders where the views of the impacted people are gauged.

As such, the above process were followed and Mining Warden hearing was conducted at several venues. The Application was not only the SML application but some other auxiliary leases as well such as lease for mining purposes (LMP), Mining Lease, Mining Easements (ME). To cater for all these leases, there were several venues fixed for hearing. the impacted communities of the Frieda River Project include but not limited to the following:

* Wabia village

*Ok Isai Air strip

*Kubkain village

*Iniok Village

*Aum 3 Village

*Wemimin 1 & 2

* Hotmine Mission Station

The Views of the people were gauged and report compiled for further deliberation. The views of the people were either supportive or objective. The the job of the mining warden is the record all good or bad comments and compile report and also give his/her view.

The other part of the technical assessment is another process which is dealt with by the technical assessment team.

Chief Mining Warden, Andrew Gunua was  Conducting Mining Warden Hearing at Ok Isai, for the Frieda River SML 9 Application in the West Sepik Province