Bauxite mining paid $1.7m revenue to the Fiji landowners

Mineral Resources Minister of Fiji Faiyaz Koya says that payments of $1.7m revenue were paid to the landowners in Nawailevu, Bua and Naibiulu and $781,000 was paid to the government.

Bauxite is mined from 408 hectares of prospective zones in the Nawailevu area in Bua and part of the Naibulu East area in Macuata. As one of the major revenue earning commodity mined in that two sites, bauxite has earned the government $1.4m in revenue on royalty, said Koya.

“This is in addition to the salary and wages of locals employed by the company. The project has also assisted local communities with the provision of a $30,000 donation to the Bua Scholarship fund,” he said.

He also added that the revenue from bauxite assisted with site levelling for over 10 housing projects for Mataqali Nalutu, church and road maintenance for Nawailevu and Lovonidalo village. It has also helped with stationaries, books and electronics to Bua and Macuata schools.

Koya says that currently bauxite is being sold at a commodity price of approximately $100 FJD per tonne and the price fluctuates from time to time due to the market demand for metal. He stressed on the fact that bauxite price fluctuations did not affect the company’s input into the economy and the assistance towards these communities. The ministry, he said evaluated the financial models before the approval of the mining lease.

He says this conservative approach of mining business is meticulously monitored by the Director of Mines. The sale of various bauxite grades is regularly being tracked by the team and they make sure the sale of bauxite provides optimum returns.