Porgera Mine set for re-opening in January 2023
Mineral Resource Authority (MRA) Managing Director Mr. Jerry Gary has announced reopening of the Porgera Mine in Papua New Guinea has been slated for next year. The mine’s opening follows conclusions of negotiations with only formalization of regulatory part remaining.
“The MRA is waiting on the new Pogera Limited to submit the documentation for MRA to register and give the operators the go ahead to mine,” said Mr. Jerry Gary.
Porgera Gold Mine
The Porgera Gold Mine is a large gold and silver mining operation in near Porgera, Enga province, Papua New Guinea (PNG), located at the head of the Porgera Valley. The mine is situated in the rain forest covered highlands at an altitude of 2,200 to 2,700 m, in a region of high rainfall, landslides, and frequent earthquakes.
The mine was shutdown in 2020 following the PNG governments refusal to extend the mining lease. The closure of the mine had been a blow to the national economy, businesses and the landowners of Pogera. Porgera Gold Mine is the second largest mine in Papua New Guinea and is regarded as one of the world’s top ten producing gold mines. In 2009, it produced 572,595 ounces of gold and 94,764 ounces of silver and had 2,500 employees and 500 contractors. Since it began operating, the mine has produced more than 16 million ounces of gold and almost 3 million ounces of silver, accounting for about 12 percent of Papua New Guinea’s total exports. The mine’s proven and probable mineral reserves as of 2009 amount to 8.1 million ounces of gold. Mr. Jerry Gary announced that first production of Gold from the mine upon reopening is expected to come out in early June in 2023.
