Bauxite mine site rehabilitation in Fiji continues

Jone Usamate, Minister for Lands and Minerals Resources, Fiji Govt. has been to Vanua Levu on his first official visit of the North since taking up the position.

Usamate initiated his tour from Bua and stated that he hopes to be able to identify bottlenecks in the system and address issues related to the Ministry’s service delivery in the North.

The Minister is seeking members of the public to make use of this opportunity to raise their grievances if they have any as he will be visiting some villages and communities.

Usamate started his tour with a visit to the Nawailevu Bauxite Mine Rehabilitation site.

Bauxite mining in Nawailevu got suspended almost two years ago however the company responsible for the mining Aurum Exploration is continuing rehabilitation works on the site.

The company has planted approximately 160,000 pine trees which will benefit the iTaukei landowners shortly.

He added: “This is an example of value-adding related to mining with the mine rehabilitation taking into account the post-mining land use needs of the landowners.”

The Fijian Minister of Mineral Resources also visited the new Naibulu Bauxite Mine in Dreketi where he was also given an update of the company’s operations since they started about eight years ago.

The Minister was also taken on a site visit of the Standard Concrete quarry in Dreketi where he was impressed with the operations. The quarry supplies road-based materials to road maintenance contractors in Vanua Levu.

He was also briefed of the land works and plans regarding the development of the Dreketi Township.