Ramu Nickel Mine Watch March 22, 2010 Chinese plans to dump mine waste could destroy telecommunications link A Telikom PNG report reveals how plans by Chinese Metallurgical Construction company (MCC) to dump millions of tons of mine waste in Basamuk Bay could seriously affect Papua New Guineas international communication links.
Telikom PNG owns a submarine fiber optic cable that runs between Sydney and Guam and is PNGs main link to the outside world. Part of the cable is routed into Madang.
According to its report, Telikom has serious concerns about currents and turbidity caused by the disposal of 100 million tons of waste by MCC.
Telikom says the manner in which the tailings will be dumped could seriously damage the cable system.
Should a build up of tailings on the upper continental shelf of Basamuk Bay occur, any failure may result in a turbidity current comprising not only of the tailings, but also of naturally occurring sediments the report states.
Such a turbidity current may be capable of breaking and washing away a section of our cable system which lie some 32 kilometers north [of the tailings discharge point]
Telikom PNG has tried to raise its concerns with MCC but until now it has been ignored by the mining giant which was about to begin coral blasting before last weeks court decision granted a temporary injunction
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