Over the past few weeks an entity called Ipaita Limited have made threats against the legitimate exploration licence holder of tenement EL 1093 at Mt Kare, Summit Development Limited (Summit). Ipaita have, in recent correspondence to me, threatened to “force Summit’s eviction” from the site.
Ipaita has also threatened to “operate a mining operation with or without a mining permit” and have publicised a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), which purports to provide benefits to a variety of Mt Kare landowners from a fictitious right to a mining lease.
The State, through my approval powers as Minister for Mining, earlier this year renewed Summit’s licence with conditions. A key aspect of that renewal was the completion by Summit of a comprehensive Land Identification Study (LIS) which will have the ultimate effect of identifying the genuine landowner interests in the Mt Kare licence area. These will be the landowners that will benefit from any future mining development at Mt Kare. It may include those landowners that Ipaita purport to represent provided they can justify their claims to landownership.
At the time I publically announced this licence renewal and called on all landowners who have a genuine interest in the Mt Kare prospect to cooperate fully with Summit to finalise this LIS. That call for cooperation was intended to include entities such as Ipaita.
Summit has invested in excess of K100m in their exploration programme at Mt Kare to date and as a consequence have identified an expanding mineral resource, including some ‘bonanza’ grades. These results will support a mining lease application at a future stage.
This is the type of international investment in our most significant industry that Papua New Guinea is keen to attract and retain.
Threats like those of Ipaita to the State’s national interest and our legitimate investors, are not welcome and should be seen for what they are – speculative, opportunistic, unhelpful and obstructive and totally lacking in credibility. They will be met by appropriate police action where necessary should they attempt to carry out such threats.
I note that on 9 August 2013 the National Court dismissed proceedings instituted by Ipaita against the State, myself and others over their claims to Mt Kare. I appeal to Ipaita to respect the decision of the Courts as to do otherwise would only bring discredit to themselves and the mining sector.
I take this opportunity to urge all genuine landowners with interests in the Mt Kare area to fully support the land identification and exploration efforts of Summit. It is these initiatives that represent the wishes of this Government and are in the best interests of Papua New Guinea and its people.
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