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By Alfred Pagepitu
The Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification is working to resolve a dispute between landowners and a mining company in San Jorge, Isabel department.
Landowners have previously expressed frustration and claimed Far East Resources entered the Brusilai mining area without their consent.
They say The company entered the area with heavy machinery and other equipment, indicating they were conducting mining operations, not just exploration.
But Wilson Tohidi, president of the San Jorge Resource Owners Association and the company’s community liaison officer, earlier acknowledged that a surface use agreement already existed and said they were working to pay the necessary fees.
“We are willing to speak with landowners to clarify what is happening and address their concerns.”
Tohedi further clarified that the company had only brought in an excavator to clear the site and four drilling rigs for exploration rather than full-scale mining operations.
“If they plan to mine, that’s their business and we will sign the agreement once the report is completed.”
“Right now, it is just the exploration stage and we want the landowners to understand the concept of the mining process,” Tohedi said.
Mines Minister Christa Jacob acknowledged that the ministry had received verbal complaints against the company and was working to resolve the dispute.
“Under Section 21(9) of the Mines and Minerals Act, a company can enter a specific lease area or concession area and carry out exploration activities only after entering into a surface use agreement with the landowner.”
“They should not be working outside their residential area.”
“If that happens, it would be a violation of their exploration conditions.”
“A verification must be conducted to determine if the company is working outdoors and if so, the ministry will take steps to address the verified violations,” Jacob said.
Under Section 26 of the Mines and Minerals Act, a company holding an exploration licence has the exclusive right to enter any land within the exploration area and conduct exploration.
Under the Act, they can drill, trench, dig, excavate, build roads, helipads, erect camps and temporary buildings, install or repair machinery, and take or direct public water from any lake, river or watercourse, as necessary.
However, the company must use machinery and in order to apply for a mining lease/licence, the company first needs to submit a commercial discovery and make an application with a full feasibility study.
Jacob said that without a mining license, a company cannot carry out mining operations; without an export license, a company cannot export minerals.
He further explained that under the Surface Use Agreement signed between the landowners and the company, there is a dispute resolution clause that the landowners can invoke to negotiate with the company on issues of concern to them.
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